The Will of the Ring
by Makura Koneko
Summary: We all know the will of the Ring is to return to Sauron, but what if before it was crafted, the metal of the Ring was fused with love rather than Evil? What if somehow an echo of what it once was managed to summon the daughter of its original master?*FIN*
1. Prologue: Moongold

**The Will of the Ring**

**Prologue**

_by Makura Koneko_

"Tell me a story, father," The child, sitting on a floor made of stardust and interwoven moonbeams, asked of the Being on His universal throne. The child played with floating balls of light, guiding them to one another, gently weaving a tapestry with the threads of light that formed when two of them met.

"Just a story, my child?"

"Any story." The child confirmed. "Please? A long one, to pass the time till we can see the outcome of the Battle?"

"Ah, yes, the Battle," The Being nodded. "The Battle..." He said thoughtfully. "Perhaps, since your entire existence has been during the Battle, you would like to hear of another, smaller, but no less important struggle, fought within our Great Battle?"

"Yes, yes!" The child laughed gleefully as two of the lights merged. The Being chuckled.

"Very well," He said, and He began His tale....

            _There was once a time where strife was unknown, suffering extinct, pain almost forgotten. There were ten great Empires, surrounding our Star. One Empire for each Planet three Realms for each Empire, and three Kingdoms for each Realm. And one...one special Kingdom, not on a planet, but on a moon. A special Moon, for this Moon had once been a planet. Caught in the all but legendary battle between Mars and Jupiter, before the time of peace, most of the planet was destroyed, leaving only the core. This core, no bigger than a moon, was pulled into orbiting the planet Earth. _

_Vowing that such a destructive battle would never again take place, the Queen of the Moon Planet erected the Silver Millennium. She was Selene, the first Queen of the Silver Alliance. All other Royal Couples of the other nine planets swore allegiance to her, and their daughters to Selene's daughter, the first princess of the Silver Millennium, the Princess Selenity._

_Princess Selenity was a lovely child, with eyes of pure silver, and hair the color of the Moon's only ocean, Mare Serenatis; silver-white, tinged a slight violet. She had a sunny, yet naturally mature and poised disposition. She was the ideal and model Princess, a lady, kind to all, with an understanding of all things that bordered on unnatural._

_But Princess Selenity was destined for more than Queenhood of the entire Solar System. She was destined to set into motion the greatest strife the Universe would ever see, to unknowing provide a way for the evilest of all objects to be created, by the man she would one day love. She would a provide a way for all this to happen, at the simple age of six years old, by simply accepting a gift from the one she loved most..._

            "Mama...this isn't gold." Said Crown Princess Selenity of the Silver Millennium Silver Alliance White Moon Kingdom, Heir to the Throne of the White Moon Throne, Duchess of the Palace of Serenatis, Baroness of Silver Lake, the daughter of High Queen Selene, Ruler of the Nine Planetary Kingdoms, Matriarch of the Silver Alliance and Lady of the Stars.

"No, you're right, it isn't." Queen Selene smiled down at her pale silver-lavender haired six-year-old daughter.

"Then what is it, mama?" Selenity played with the small golden coloured locket in the shape of a heart, an upturned crescent moon made out of weaving and flouncing filigrees was impressed into it on both sides. It had an unnaturally pure glimmer to it, an uncanny silver sheen when the light glanced off it. It looked as if it had been freshly polished, and yet no gold, no matter how pure, could ever reach the level of flawlessness this locket seemed to radiate.

"Open it," The Queen urged, one of her long rose pink streamers of hair falling over her hair, silver eyes twinkling.

The little princess, tongue peeking out from between the corner of her ice pink lips, a determined look on her face, set to prying open the small contraption of the mysterious alloy.

At last tiny fingers succeeded, and the locket popped open. A mysterious and hauntingly beautiful melody danced from the locket to caress the ears of the princess and queen. The music seemed to invite the very stars in the sky to come and dance, coaxing the moonbeams to sway to its enchanting lullaby.

A 'v' shaped beam of silver light spilled upwards from the locket cupped in the hands of the First Moon Princess, whose mouth was forming a tiny 'o' of surprise and delight. Bathed in the beam of silver light was an image, an image of a sphere of white light. Blended, faded into the image of the moon was a transparent image of the smiling Queen Selene.

"Our Moon…" Selenity whispered. Selene smiled.

"Yes," She said. "As long as you hold this locket close to your heart, I, and our Moon, shall always be with you." She cupped her hands over her daughters, closing them, and thus closing the locket, cutting off the beam of light and calling the music back into slumber. She folded the princess's arms so that the locket, the chain spilling out from between her fingers, was pressed against her heart.

"It is made of Moongold," Selene told her. Selenity gasped. In all the Universe, there was only one place where Moongold existed; the White Moon, _her_ Moon, her home. And there were only three nougats of Moongold ever found, and all three were in the possession of the only one who could mold it; the Queen of the Moon, Selene.

For some reason unknown, only a member of the White Moon royal family could handle Moongold, let alone forge it into anything. Queen Selene herself had formed the first Moongold nougat it her tiara, which she only wore at the most important of times. The second made up the top sphere of her Royal Staff. The third, the purest of all three, had been formed into locket, or brooch, meant to house the Silver Imperial Illusion Crystal, the only heirloom left from the lineage of the original Moon Kingdom, when the White Moon had been a planet.

"A fourth nougat of Moongold?" Selentiy looked up at her mother with wide eyes. Selene nodded, smiling. Even though only six years old, Selentiy grasped the importance of being given something made of Moongold, crafted by the Queen's own hands and magic. She turned around in her mother's arms and threw her arms around her neck.

"Thank you, oh thank you!" She cried. The Queen laughed, and embraced her daughter. The locket, in the hands of the princess, glowed, reacting to the love and happiness resonating between mother and daughter.

When they pulled apart, Queen Selene helped her daughter clasp the locket around her neck, so that it rested in the hollow of her throat. Selenity touched it, smiling.

"Thank you ever so much!" She said happily. The locket warmed at her touch, and the Queen smiled.

"Glad you like it," She said, and stood, taking her daughter's hand. "Now come, the embassy from Earth will have arrived by now. We must meet them in the Grand Hall. King Mindocino has brought his son, Prince Sauron. Think you can be my darling little princess and show him around the palace?"

"Of course!" Selenity said happily. Selene smiled once more. What an angel her daughter was… Her smile dimmed slightly as she remembered the reason King Mindocino had brought his son along. She sighed. But law was law, the law she herself had approved regarding marriage for royal sons and daughters for the Nine Planets. It was only fair that she herself abide by that law, she reminded herself as she, with her daughter's hand in hers, left her sitting chambers and headed for the Grand Hall.

Now that she fully realized that it meant engaging her daughter, at six years old, to a spoiled Earthen Prince she'd never even met before, and probably never would again till her sixteenth birthday… Selene questioned her actions for the first time in a long while.

She sighed as she and Selenity rounded a corner.

The preliminary papers had already been signed, via ambassadors. There was no going back now without starting an interplanetary dilemma that would take years to resolve. And with the Alliance so new… No, that was not a chance she could take. She simply had to hope that Selenity and Sauron got along…

She winced as she remembered some of the reports her ambassadors had relayed to her about the Terran Prince. A spoiled child, but not without his own qualities. He was supposedly protective of things he loved, and knew how to get his way without causing an uproar. He was also controlling. Very controlling.

But Selene supposed those were traits that, when trained properly, would make for an excellent King.

_Yes_, she thought, _an excellent king_…. She hoped.

They reached the grand doors to the Grand Hall, and two guards, after bowing, pulled them open. A steward stepped out of nowhere to enter before, announcing her and her daughter in a loud, regal voice. He stepped aside, and winked at the princess, her hide a smile and a giggle.

"Your Majesty," A man rose from the table he and a boy, no more than ten, had been sitting at. He walked over to her in long, strong strides, and took her hand and kissed it. "It has been far too long," He told her. "Since I have last looked upon your radiant face." He winked. _He may be married and with a son_, Selene thought, _but he will forever be the playboy I used to know as a child_. 

"And little Selenity, how lovely to see you again, too," He smiled down at her. "Last time I saw you, you were a newborn, brand new, a curious little wide eyed beauty." Selenity smiled and curtseyed.

"Thank you, my lord," She said.

"Well, I shall hurry and get the formalities out of the way so we can begin our…er, catching up." The King grinned broadly as he placed his hand on the shoulder of the boy that came to stand beside him. The resemblance between them was startling…but that wasn't what made Selenity unable to hold back a gasp. "May I introduce my son, Crown Prince Sauron, Lord of the Golden Woods, Master of Lothlorien, and Duke of Rivendell, the three Kingdoms of the realm of Middle Earth, and heir to the throne of all of Earth."

Selenity barely heard the introduction, so fixated on the boy before her was she. Not so much the boy, really, but his eyes. The pupils were the blackest of black, but the irises…they looked like wreaths of fire, swirling reds and yellows and gold, the light of the torches along the walls glanced off them, making them look like dancing flames.

The Prince nodded, a polite smile on his face. He glanced at the locket at her throat, and brief realization donned in those marvelous fiery eyes before he took her hand and bent over it.

"A pleasure, my princess," He told her. A boy of only ten, he already had the voice of a man. Deep and rich, yet with a hint of boyish charm that made Selenity's heart beat faster, though she had no idea why.

"May I give you a tour of the gardens?" Selenity composed herself beautifully, and in splendid time, once more demonstrating maturity beyond her six years.

"I would be honoured," Sauron bowed, and then held out his hand. Lifting her skirt elegantly, Selentiy placed her hand delicately over his, and they walked thus out of the room, a miniature version of what would one day be a most glorious looking couple.

"They do look good together," Mindocino said. Selene forced a smile, though nothing about her betrayed it was forced. She nodded her agreement, glanced at the door that closed after her daughter and the prince, unable to quench the growing sense of dread as she walked to the table where a document lay. A pen was on the table next to it, ready for her to take up…

A knowledge suddenly gripped her, and a fierce determination to save her daughter- save her daughter? From what? She didn't know…all she knew was that if she even touched the pen, she would be making a grand mistake. A mistake that would explode maybe tomorrow, maybe not for another eight thousand years, but explode it would.

"King Mindocino," Selenity turned to the king, fully prepared for the consequences of what she was about to do, resolving that a decade of interplanetary diplomatic turmoil was far worth it, to save her daughter.

Her eyes met those of blackest black, wreathed in flashing fire…

"Yes, Selene?" Mindocino's voice was not his own…

Selene blinked and turned back to the document and sat. Mindocino placed a hand on her shoulder as she picked up the pen. As she signed her signature on the contract with a flourish, she wondered why she had ever had the ridiculous notion that her daughter was more important than securing her reign over her kingdoms…

**Ten Years Later**

The Nine Planetary Empires rejoiced.

Today was the day the Heir to the Throne of the White Moon, the throne of the Solar System, would marry Sauron, Prince of Middle Earth and future King of Earth itself.

Many thought today would be a grand day.

Oh, how wrong they all were…

It would be a day for nightmares to become reality.

"Princess?" The red haired seeress knocked on the door to the chambers that the Princess of the White Moon had moved in to that morning. The SpaceFlight from the Moon to the Earth had not been a pleasant one for the silver-lavender haired princess, and she, along with Selenity's other four bodyguards were worried. So they had sent their second in command, the Princess of Mars, to check on her.

"Come in…" Came a groggy voice. Mars' lips quirked. She sounded like she had just like she did when forced out of bed earlier than usual for a meeting with a Venusian; they preferred to do business first thing in the morning, so that they had the rest they day off for fun things.

Mars pushed open the large mahogany doors and her gaze softened as she saw her Princess sitting on a be-cushioned and be-ruffled window seat under a large, arched window over looking the beautiful mountain city known as Volorium.

"Hey…" Mars said. "You feeling any better?"

"I got over my spacesickness hours ago…" Selenity admitted after a moment.

"Now you're just sick with nerves, eh?" Mars' heart twitched at the stiff nod of Selenity's head, her silver-lavender hair bobbing with the movement. It was done up the 'royal hairstyle' as it had been teasingly nicknamed by many. Twin sphere of silken hair were atop her head, two streamers of wavy, silken moonbeams of hair fell from the buns to her ankles.

"Last time I saw him was ten years ago, Mars!" Selenity suddenly burst out. "And the letters he sends are nothing but romantic love letters. They tell me nothing about him! All they tell me is he is a good poet and has an imagination, but then again, who knows if he was really the one that even wrote them, let alone came up with them? I'm marrying a stranger, Mars! And I'm…tonight…the wedding night…I'm…I'm expected to…to…" She buried her face in her hands.

Mars looked at her sympathetically. Poor girl…she reached around her friend and hugged her. Feeling the brush of cool metal against her arm as Selenity leaned into her, she unclasped Selenity's locket from around her neck, and pulled away. She opened it, and placed it in Selenity's cupped hands. The same enchantingly beautiful melody sang and danced on the sound of their heartbeats, teased the wind of their breath as the image of the glowing silver white moon appeared in a beam of silver light. The image of the Queen was not there, this time.

"Look at that, Selenity," Mars told her. "Yes, you are marrying a stranger. But look what you are doing it for! The Kingdom you love so much! Think of that! And remember; he can only touch your body, not your soul, not _you_, not if you don't let him."

Selenity looked at the image of the moon for a moment, then slowly smiled. She launched herself into Mars's arms, closing the locket of Moongold as she did so.

"Thank you!" She said, much as she had to her mother ten years ago. Mars smiled and returned the embrace.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and four girls entered. Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Neptune, all bearing bags and baskets and boxes. Neptune bore the heaviest of all the packages; a large white bag. Selenity sighed as she realized what was in that bag; her wedding dress.

"Ready?" Jupiter asked. Selenity exchanged a small smile with Mars, who squeezed her hand reassuringly. Selenity stood, and nodded.

"Yes," She said. "As ready as I'll ever be." She added as an afterthought. They all laughed gently, and Mercury helped her Princess up on to a stool, as Venus began undoing the laces at the back of Selenity's flowing gown and Neptune hung the bag up on the top wire frame of her canopy bed.

It was nightfall by the time the First Moon Princess was ready. Her long, flowing white gown with a ten foot train, edged in ten thousand pearls, all from the sea of Mare Serenatis. In her hair -which had been redone up by Venus in the Royal Hairstyle with intricate braids and weaves and curls- amongst baby's breath and white elven roses from Lothlorein was her mothers Moongold tiara, studded with diamonds and pearls and moonstones.

The strapless, sleeveless bodice of her gown clung to her curves seamlessly, edged at the top in a two inch wide ribbon with silver and gold brocade, studded with even more tiny pearls, also from Mare Serenatis.

A veil made of moonsilk, transparent and unnaturally light and gauzy, with a slightly silver, magical sheen to it fell over her buns and curls from her tiara and down to blend with the folds of her train.

It was another two hours before they reached the wedding site, which was a huge platform held aloft and kept cool by magic over the open volcano of mount Volorium, where the raw power of the Earth, in the form of magma, was exposed for all to see.

They were born across the space from the edge of the volcano to the platform by a pegasus drawn carriage. It landed softly, and one by one, as the wedding music was struck up, Selenity's bodyguards and best friends stepped out of the carriage. They were assisted by Sauron's best men, who then walked them down the isle before turning aside just before reaching the alter. One, two, three, four couples, two on each side of the alter.

Another song began to be played by elven flutes, played by the elf maiden Maiya and her brother, Elothien.

Selentiy stepped out of the carriage, and took her first step down the isle. In her head, she could hear the melody of her locket, at her throat, being played to her by her mother, who stood at the alter beside the Priest and Priestess, as a child.

Part of Selenity wanted to hate her mother for doing this, but the rest of her knew her mother' had had no choice.

She carefully kept her thoughts blank as she walked down the isle, so her expression would have the least amount of trouble fighting her true emotions. She also carefully avoided looking directly at Sauron, clad in golden splendidry, and standing beside her mother, Queen Selene.

Selenity knew people were wondering why she did not look at her bridegroom, and so, swallowing, not wanting anyone to have doubts about this marriage (although she was having every doubt and fear possible) she looked up at the man that was to be her husband in a few moments…

Her silver eyes met fiery ones, and an emotion that made her want to scream in terror washed over her heart…she fought it…but it was too late…

She was in love.

Against her will, or with it, she would never know.

She, smiling for real, now, stepped up to her fiancé, and together they turned to face the Priest and Priestess, and swear their fealty to each other.

A few moments later, Princess Selenity was married and received her first kiss…five hours later, after much celebration and merrymaking, when the newlyweds retired to their wedding chambers, the Second Crown Princess of the White Moon flared into existence on the tapestry of life.

Nine months after the marriage of Princess Selenity and Prince Sauron, the Galaxy had another reason to rejoice.

Crown Princess Serenity was born, blue eyed like her father's mother, the Queen of the Earth, and hair like the Moongold of her mother's locket; gold, that looked silver under glancing light. 

"My little angel," Selenity cooed to the newborn in her arms as she rocked the princess back and forth, humming the tune of her locket without realizing she was. She stood by the same window seat that Mars had once comforted her at over her fear of marrying her now beloved Sauron. He was a good man, she always told herself. He never hit her, he gave her gifts, he said sweet things to her, he looked at her with something akin to respect in his eyes…but he didn't love her, she knew. He may care for her, but that was a far cry from the love she vowed she would make sure her daughter would have…

Her daughter…hers and Sauron's…little Serenity… Now _she_ was something Sauron loved. The only thing Sauron loved. The only thing Selenity believed he would die to protect; his daughter. She was the only thing Sauron, now King Sauron, cherished more than power and gold.

Gold…

Selenity touched the locket at her throat. She knew he wanted it. To possess an article of Moongold…she knew that was one of her husband's greatest desires. To possess one of the Rings was his second.

The creation of the Rings had been announced almost a week ago, to the rulers of Earth -King Sauron, the Dowager Queen Molciny of Earth, herself, King Aradur; king of Gondor, the largest country in Middle Earth, as well as Queen Galadriel, Lady of Lothlorien, and Lord Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. These places, previously governed by Sauron, had been given to the children of the ones whom had been his best men in his wedding one his ascention to Kinghood.

The purpose of the creation of the Rings was -officially- not all that important. But Selenity knew why. The races of the other eight Planets all had natural, inborn magical powers. Even the Earthen Elves aren't _born_ with magic; they were simply the best at learning to use it.

With the Rings, if one were to wear their Ring their entire lives, their offspring would inherit some of the power from the Ring naturally, even more so if the mother wore her/her husband's Ring during pregnancy. That power would be enhanced when they inherited their parent's Ring, and then when _they_ had a child, that child's power would be even greater, only to be doubled once they received their Ring. Eventually it would be so that the descendants of the original bearer of one of the Rings would be born with magical powers with our without the ring, regardless if their parent's ever had a Ring.

And, in the great, great, greatly far future, perhaps all three races of Earth -human, elf, and dwarf- would have 'natural' magical powers.

But of course, this was all just an outrageous, ridiculous rumor.

Selenity smiled slightly as she rocked her baby to sleep in her arms.

Funny how the simplest of rumors turn out to be false, and the most unbelievable, to be truth.

**One Year Later**

The forging of the Rings of Power had been completed, and distributed. Three to the greatest of Elven Lords -or rather, two Lords, one Lady- five to the dwarf Kings, and nine…one for each of the Kings of Earth, the UnderKings, rulers of separate continents, all whom served the High King of Earth, Sauron, and his wife, Selenity, Princess of the Moon and Queen of Earth.

Selenity could only be grateful that it was done. Though she had to admit, the nine that had been giving to the human kings worried her…the dwarves, did, too, but there were only five of them that bore Rings. But nine Kings…even UnderKings, one of which, the King of Gondor, actually served her, since Middle-Earth was hers. She wondered briefly why Sauron had not demanded he, too, be given a Master Ring. She had thought all he loved was power and gold, power and gold, gold and power, gold and power.

But then why…?

Selenity froze as a thought, despite her love for her King, entered her heart and her mind. A cold dread entered her, and her hair brush stopped it's descent through her locks.

She'd always known Sauron wasn't pure, but then, no human is. But she'd thought the extra 'dirtiness' in his soul was a result of the many, however little, wars that had been breaking out lately. Granted, she wasn't allowed much information on what was happening on Earth, much less her own Empire, Middle-Earth.

Selenity's cheeks warmed at the thought. Sauron had given her the whole of Middle-Earth to rule as her own for their first anniversary. He'd even had a fortress, a palace, the one they were spending the summer in right that moment, built just for her on top of a similar to the one she'd been married on. They had moved in for the summer, and christened it the castle 'Baraduil' nine months ago.

At the thought of 'nine months,' Selenity smiled and looked at the small mound under the silken sheets on her bed. The little princess's birthday was tomorrow…

"My angel…" She murmured.

"And my treasure," A, just as deep and rich as it had been the first time she'd heard it, rumbled from behind her, and Selenity turned to look up into the face of her king.

"Good evening, husband," She greeted him with a happy smile on her face. The same queer contentment that had gripped her heart on her wedding day overcame her now as he leaned down to gently kiss her lips. There was no love, no passion in his kiss, but it was enough for her…though she had a feeling it shouldn't be…a part of that 'contentment' lashed out to smite the flash of doubt that bubbled up within her, and it disappeared.

Sauron stood, and glanced at the one-year-old Princess Serenity, asleep.

"I want to give her something special, for her first birthday." He said after a moment. Selenity blinked. This was an unusual, rare statement of sentimental value. He looked at the babe with genuine tenderness.

Sauron looked down at his wife…his fiery eyes seemed to flash, those same, deep black pupiled eyes, wreathed in fire, boring into her very soul.

An idea came to her then, as she stared into the eyes of her husband. Her hand went to the locket at her throat…then around the back of her neck to the clasp. She released it, and let it drop into her hand. She looked at… A sudden flare of wild rebellion against what she was about to do sprang up. Sauron touched her shoulder…

And Selenity dropped the locket into his hand.

He kissed her on the forehead, turned, and left, and Selenity sat, blinking, wondering what she had just done.

"Ah, your Majesty,"

Queen Selene of the Silver Alliance White Moon turned away from the barred window of the large, clean cell to face the man standing on the other side of the bars, the bars that glowed with a dark golden light that kept her prisoner.

"Sauron," She said coolly to the man she had trapped her daughter into marriage with. Oh, how she wished she had resisted the force that had made her sign that contract…

"Explain to me why you summoned me from my kingdom so urgently, then had me thrown into your dungeon?"

"Ah, that will be a hard one to explain…" Sauron tilted his head to one side. "So," He said cheerfully. "I don't think I shall." He snapped his fingers, and the guards opened the doors. This was the first look Selene had gotten of them; the ones that had taken her had been Royal Guards. But these…these creatures…they were mutilated, scaly, slimey green skin…unnaturally large eyes of sickly yellow and darkest of blacks. They walked as if permanently lamed, as if they relished the pain it brought them. Their mouths were open to display blood-caked, needle like teeth.

"Wh-what are these things?" Selene demanded as one of them grabbed at her arm. She jerked back, and its claws scrapped three long, deep gashes down her arm. She clutched the injured limb as Sauron chuckled.

"Ah, my Queen, don't fight them." He said. "You're not very good at it. As for what 'they' are, they were elves once." He grinned as the two 'guards' finally succeeded in grabbing her by the arms and dragging her towards the exit to the cell.

"Little sneaks." He shrugged. "They'd had visions when they were elves. They'd figured out what I really was. So I decided to see if, instead of killing them, I could make them into something I could use." He grinned a grin that Selene swore a demon would have trouble rivaling. "I can tell you, my…'interrogators' had fun…'convincing' them to serve me.

"I call them…well, it was rather easy. It's the name of a race long forgotten. The not so nice and regal cousins of the elves. They became extinct long before humans came along. Orcs, is what they were called. The Elves destroyed the original Orcs, their evil cousins in a battle a long time ago. And I…I have brought them back." He smiled. "I'm sure you'll have fun getting to know them while we take a walk." His tone and expression clearly stated what was at the end of this 'walk.'

Selene screamed. Sauron laughed.

The two Orcs proceeded to drag the Queen to a large, heavy iron door. Two more Orcs pulled the doors open, and beyond it was seem a stone promenade ledge reaching out over the fiery depths of the active volcano that was just under the surface of the Mountain. Selene was dragged to the edge, where Sauron ordered them to turn her around to face him. He stepped close, smiling a smile that was quite decieving in its peaceful state.

"Why do you do this?" Selene demanded, every inch a Queen. Sauron pulled from his pocket something Selene recognized immediately, and her eyes widened. Selenity's locket!

"I wanted to make something special for my daughter's first birthday," He said. "I had an idea for a sort of…twin necklaces, like the ones best friends have, where one of them fits into or onto the other. I looked at every sort of drawing that I had conjured up by the best goldsmiths in the Galaxy. They were all lovely, mind you, but none were good enough for my baby…" He laughed. "Well, actually, to be quite truthfull, that will only be the story behind what I am going to be using you to create." He tossed the locket back and forth between his hands.

"I know you know about the Rings of Power that were recently completed," He said. "I also know that you wonder why I did not demand that I get one as well." He snorted. "As if I would want one of those purity-ridden things. Disgusting. Power is _meant_ to be corrupting! So I thought, why not make my own Ring? One Ring to rule them all, and eventually, in the darkness I will create, bind them to me!"

"You are mad!" Selene growled. Sauron laughed.

"Yes, my Queen, I am," He said, and winked. "But you know what they say 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." He tilted his head. "Imagine how corrupted I will be when I have absolute power?"

"That still doesn't explain what you want with my daughter's locket, or me," Selene said. She refused to think about what he had just said…the notion was just to terrifying. Oh, how she wished she had her Silver Crystal…she could end this all right now if she had it…but she did not even have the strength to summon it, not all the way from the Moon.

"Tis simple, my dear lady," He said, clasping his hands behind his back in a boyish manner. "It only makes sense that the One Ring be made of something no one else has possession of, eh? And I'm not foolish enough to try and craft this alloy on my own." He dangled the locket before her. "And plus, a ring that fits into a small locket would be the perfect father-to-daughter gift for the little princess, don't you agree? Something Daddy and baby can share for all eternity."

"You plan to drag little Serenity to the depths of evil with you…" Selene gasped, eyes wide with disbelief. "_Why?_"

Sauron sighed.

"Must I spell out everything to you?" He shook his head. "Selenity is a lovely, exquisite creature, and while she is under the dillusion she loves me, when it comes down to it, she is too powerful in the ways of Pure Magic to ever truly be my Queen. So…"

"Oh, God…" Selene swallowed the bile rising in her throat…this…this…_creature_ before he planned to take his own daughter and raise her in the ways of evil, then take her as his _wife_!

And Moongold…if he had truly found a way to, through her, craft it into a Ring of Power…the natural energies of the alloy would give it the edge over all other rings, just enough of an edge to indeed make it a Master Ring. Perhaps if she could get him to tell her how he planned to use her to make the Ring out of the Moongold, perhaps she could figure out a way to stop him from using her…

"And…just how do you plan on using me to forge this ring?" She demanded.

"Simple, my Queen," He grinned. "Make you one with the fire I will use to melt the Moongold." He waved a hand at the lava below. Selene's eyes widened, and before she could do anything, by a silent signal, the unnaturally strong Orcs hefted her up, and sent her flying down towards a fiery death that not even a Queen of the Moon could live through…

But rather than a scream being the last sound she made, she cried out something in a long forgotten language of the Royal White Moon Family's lineage, and the locket in Sauron's hands glowed…

A tiny bit of love and hope and light settled into the depths of the Moongold…undetectable by someone so engulfed in hate and despair and darkness and evil as Sauron.

The cry of the Moon Queen faded away, and was nothing… 

And a glowing tendril of silver light in the tapestry of life faded, and disappeared…

The lava of Mount Baraduil flashed silver, and Sauron called out in a sinister tongue forgotten to all but the evilest of enchanters. A column of fire rose up at his command. He took from one of the Orcs a small, thick steel cup on a long dowel. He dropped the locket into the small cup, and thrust it into the fires of his Mountain…his mountain of doom…for the doom that he would spread throughout Middle Earth would indeed begin at this place…

He pulled out the cup; the Moongold, melted by the fire that had been infused -for how long, Sauron did not know- with the Power of the Moon glowed a soft silver-gold, even in its molten state. Two molds were brought to him, a hole in the top of each. He poured the golden liquid down the throat of the first mold, and when it filled and was taken away, then set to filling the second. He shut his eyes, and began to mutter and concentrate with all his might, pouring, along with the Moongold, all his hate and malice and will to dominate into the mold, where the two things, Moongold and pure evil, ran together and became One… The One.

And thus the One Ring was created, and the rising of the Dark Lord Sauron of Middle Earth began.

In a room in the castle of Baraduil, high above, a silver-lavender haired woman fell to her knees in pain, as an image flashed before her…

"Mother…" She whispered, and, all at once, she knew.

Everything.

She fled to the cradle beside her bed, and scooped up the sleeping princess, flung a cloak about her shoulders, and ran to the balcony. Summoning powers she had inherited only moments before, the exact moment of her mother's death, she flared angel-feathered wings, and soared to the Moon.

Tears of anger and sorry and betrayal and pain streamed down her face as she clutched her hope and future to her chest. She vowing that her daughter would never, ever know why that she, now Queen of the Moon, would demand that there never, ever, be any communication or interaction with the Earth, ever again… Ever…

**To Be Continued…**

So, how did I do?

I know, I know, Shattered Tapestry is still on hold, and here I am starting another fic…well…just like when nature calls there's no resisting, it's the same with me and my muse.

Plus, I found the floppy that has Shattered Tapestry on it (I'd lost it, which was actually one of the main reasons it went on hold) so I should actually be able to post a chapter or two between now and when we move in to our new house, in October.

I know this chapter was a little….slow, but remember, this is a difficult story to set up, and you have to be careful when merging two complex plots such as LoTR and Sailor Moon.

And as for the title, 'Will of the Ring' that will be explained at a later date as the story progresses. A little hint; remember that little bit of 'love, hope, and light' Selene planted into the Moongold before she died….? Just remember that.

Anyhoo, stay tuned for Chapter One! I should have it out by August 20th, and chapter five of Shattered Tapestry sometime before then. Ja!

Hope Makes the Universe Shine,

Makura Koneko

**ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY**


	2. Chapter One: To Be Needed

**The Will of the Ring** **Chapter One**

_by Makura Koneko_

**Big Thanks to:**

**Sheetula **

**TenshiDaisy**(I'm on your fav's list??? You're the first one to put me on their fav's list! *tears* I feel so special! *bawls* Thank you! *hugglez*)

**Rinavariel**(*eyes bulge* N-nani? Best on fanfiction.net??? *shakes head vigorously while blushing* I'm not that good!!! *blush* Gosh… *blushes again* I'm so honored you think so, though…)

**ChibiTenshi**

**abyssal chaos**

**HikariTsuki** (*bawls* Your review was so sweet!!! So glad you think everything fits! Took me a looong time to figure out how to fit two such complex plots together…glad my effort shows! *blush* And you think I'm talented? *blush* Thank you! *hugglez*)

**Lacrea Moonlight**

**Nica** (Exciting? Really? *hugglez* Thanks! I was a bit worried it would be boring! And yes, the Senshi will be making an appearance, soon, and yes, there will be couplings. I would say, but…don't want to give away anything important, now would I? *winks*)

**Leslie Hellstone, Chamos**

**Goddess-of-Light**

**Rose Yami Hikari** (*sigh of relief* phew. Glad you think I 'covered all the angles.' I'm sooo bad at catching plot holes in my own stories! ^^;)

**Piper **

**Kawaiibaka** (You said your real review was too long, so you sent it by e-mail, but I never got it…)

**Angel-of-Halo**

**~Angel Mellisa**

**One Winged Angel's Lover**

**Usagi_1313**

**Butterfly**

**Miranda **

**Moo, Woo, Duu and Fuu**

**Shannan **

**sailorruss**

**TA **

**SailorFad64** (As all authors can agree, I think a good 'WOW!!!' is the best compliment an author can get. *grins* thanks for giving me such a big one!)

**nicole **

**And another big thanks to averyone else who reviewed!**

**_Now on to the Story…_**

It came again, that dream. It wasn't always the same dream, really, more like sections of a whole. Like if you were to take a movie and separate it into five different chapters, and watch one each night. Each time you turned on the TV, you saw the next part of the movie.

So it was with the girl who slept peacefully under the moonlight. Every night she went to sleep, and every night an unseen force revealed to her another piece of her past…all the pieces except the one that would answer the question that she'd wanted so desperately to be answered, even back then…

_"Serenity!" Queen Selenity of the White Moon Kingdom rounded the corner of the balcony/deck that wrapped around the second floor of the White Moon Palace, supported by large marble pillars that went all the way around the main floor of the palace._

_Princess Serenity, the Second Princess of the White Moon Silver Alliance Headquarters, jumped up from the bench she'd been sitting on, at the railing, with a squeak. She stepped on the hem of her gown, and went sprawling over the polished marble floor._

_"Owie…" She whimpered, pulling herself up out of her most ungraceful heap while her mother chuckled. Serenity grinned sheepishly, straightening her skirts and hair as best as she could, the midnight wind bring to her the sounds of the party going on inside._

_"You snuck out to watch the Earth again, didn't you?" Selenity asked softly. Serenity's sheepish expression deepened into that of an embarrassed blush._

_"Sorry, mama," She said. For a moment Selenity hoped…_

_"But mama, I just don't understand why you disapprove of me even looking at it! It's not my fault it's such a beautiful planet, especially from up here, and it certainly isn't my fault you hate the place so much, and-"_

_Queen Selenity sighed. So much for hoping that she would get away without having to argue with her daughter, for once._

_While Princess Serenity appeared no more than sixteen, her true age was over three thousand. With eyes the color of the brightest sapphires, creamy porcelain complexion, slender form, pert pink lips, and hair the color of…_

_Selenity's eyes darkened._

_Even her own daughter was a reminder of her mistake… She was only glad she had the sense not to blame Serenity for her own folly, so long ago, just because her hair happened to remind her of something dear to her, something she'd been forced to give up by a man she'd not only been forced to marry and love, but had killed her mother, as well…_

_As Serenity ranted on with the reasons why Selenity should at least tell her daughter why she hated the Earth, Selenity looked up at the subject of her daughter's argument. She didn't know if Sauron was all powerful on Earth yet, or he had been defeated, or if he even succeeded in creating his 'One Ring,' and she had not the heart to find out._

_She tuned back in to her daughter's voice as Serenity finished her rant. Serenity fumed. Her mother had hardly been listening! She'd gone off into a daze again, staring at the moon…_

Well, isn't that what you do? _A part of Serenity taunted. Serenity felt herself blush with frustration. It wasn't the same, she argued with herself._

_She gave up._

_It was an old argument._

_Serenity had long ago guessed that maybe the reason for her mothers hateful, yet longing looks at the Earth, so much like her own, were linked to the only other real mystery in her life; who was her Father?_

_She knew he had to be human. She also knew that someone on her father's side had blue eyes._

No_ Lunarian had ever had blue eyes. And they were too light to be that of a Mercurians, and blue eyes among any other planetary race were extremely rare, let alone eyes the color of hers._

_So, she knew her Father was human, and that he had hurt her mother, but that was all she knew._

_Sometimes she wondered if she really wanted to know. What if her father turned out to be some evil villain? Could she handle knowing that she was the daughter of a murderer? She didn't know._

_But she wanted to find out…_

_She shook herself out of her familiar reverie when her mother placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, and smiled at her kindly. Serenity hugged her mother, and the Queen returned the embrace. Together, they returned to the party inside, an idea forming in the mischievous, determined mind of the 3000 year old Moon Princess…_

_"Serenity, if you get caught, I had no part in this! Just remember that!" The raven haired, violet eyed woman hissed to her princess and best friend._

_"I know, Mars, I know," Serenity rolled her eyes. She'd had to promise to show Mars where her secret chocolate stash was for this, but if she found what she wanted… If she succeeded in her quest down there on that planet, the planet that was the destination that was programmed into the transporter console they were hiding behind, then it was worth the contents of _all_ her stashes._

_Mars reached up and punched in her code; the transporter was programmed with a security protocol that made it impossible for a transportation to be made without the code of at least one Senshi._

_"Go, go!" Mars hissed, slipping something sleek into Serenity's hand as she shoved her towards the transportation pod. "Hurry!"_

_"Thank you!" Serenity said softly as the rainbow glow of the transporter engulfed her, and she faded away. Mars stared at the place her best friend and princess had stood moments before, and mentally wished the golden haired girl luck, with all her heart._

_Serenity awoke in her bed, groggily, having received very little sleep after returning from Earth. She touched the locket at her throat…a gift from the man she swore was her soulmate…_

_"Prince Endymion…" She murmured. She remembered how she had materialized, disorientated, in a garden…she'd seen someone coming, had ducked behind a tree…he'd seen her…_

_She had, foolishly, she now realized, told him who she was. He believed her after she'd displayed some of her lunarian magic, and her upturned crescent moon insignia on her forehead. He'd told her how the legend of a kingdom on the moon was considered a legend._

_She'd asked him if there was any 'legend' about a moon queen coming down and having a child with a human. He'd told her no, and asked, curiously, why she wanted to know… She'd told him everything. How she didn't know her father, how her mother refused to speak of him, how her mother seemed to both hate and long for the Earth._

_She'd then asked him if anything big had happened three thousand years ago, and he'd proceeded to tell her the most amazing story she'd ever heard. About sixteen Rings of Power, about the One Ring, the master of them all, how it was forged in secret in the first of Mount Doom in the land of Mordor, a place that had once been part of Gondor, the kingdom that was now the headquarters for the Earthen Empire._

_He told her of the Last Alliance, the last bounding of Men and Elves to go against the Dark Lord, of the Dark Lord's fall, and the passing of the One Ring into the hands of Ilsildur. He told her how the Ring betrayed Ilsildur, and how over a span of three thousand years, it corrupted the creature Gollum, and then came to the hobbit Baggins, and then to Frodo Baggins. He told her, as she lay in his arms, of how the Fellowship of the Ring had guarded Frodo on his quest to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom, the one place it could be destroyed._

_He'd then given her the locket that now lay around her throat. _A gift,_ he'd said. _A family heirloom. My anscestor was one of the men who fought in the Last Alliance. He found it among the ruins of Castle Baraduil before they retreated from Mordor. Besides, my father wanted me to give it to the woman I plan on marrying_. He'd kissed her gently_. And I plan on marrying you some day_, he'd told her…and she'd left…_

_Serenity sighed happily, gripping the locket, and drifted back into sleep… But as we all know, to sleep in the real world is to awake in the dream world, and just as that is for the real world, so it is that to sleep in the dream world is to awaken here, in the real world… And so the girl awoke, and remembered…_

_But not before an image of a lidless eye, wreathed in flame, bore into her very soul…_

Luna stopped, her paw raised and ready to swipe her charge across the face in a last, final attempt to awake her before all hope of actually being on time for school was lost. Before she could lower her paw, Serena Tsukino's eyes snapped open, and she sat up sharply with a screech of genuine fear rather than the horror of being late yet again.

"Goodness, Serena, what ever is the matter?" Luna picked herself off from taking a tumble off the bead, due to the blonde's sudden rising. She leapt back up onto the bed on dainty paws, and looked up into Serena's sweaty face, genuine concern on her feline features. Serena groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"I had another one," She mumbled. Luna's eyes widened.

"Another?" Luna echoed. "That's the tenth in a row…and each one picks up right after the last one ended, you say?" Serena nodded and looked up, her expression the most serious anyone, even Luna, had ever seen.

"Starting from my 1500th birthday. And in this one I was three thousand, at least."

"So your dreams are covering one thousand, five hundred years every ten nights," Luna mussed. "You were…" Her eyes widened.

"I was three thousand and ten when the Moon Kingdom fell, I know," Serena whispered. She sniffed. "I remember that part of my past perfectly fine."

"I know you do, but…" Luna bit her lip. "Most likely, Serena, you will relive the End in one of the next few nights to come… Do you want to set up a sleepover with the girls, so they'll be there with you, to wake you up, or to just be there?"

"Yeah, a sleepover! Funfunfun!" Serena said cheerfully, all trace of her previously gloomy mood completely gone. Luna's eyebrow twitched. How did she do it?

"Another thing, though, Luna," Serena reached for her Eternal Moon Locket at her bedside, the one that housed the Silver Crystal.

"My Eternal Moon locket was in the dream, too," She said. "Only it was smaller, and on a chain, like a real locket…it was a gift from Endy."

"One of your brooches, not made of MoonPower?" Luna said, blinking. "That is odd…"

Just then the alarm clock went off…

Followed by an inhuman screech…

And the all too familiar cry of  "I'm gonna be _laaaaaaaaate_!!!"

Luna shook her head as Serena dashed into her bathroom, and the shower was turned on, followed by a yelp, the result of Serena's typical unwillingness to wait for the water to heat up.

"Some things never change," The feline laughed softly.

"Think we should bring up going to bed, soon?" Ami asked softly, so her voice would not be heard by anyone else than the one she was talking to. Lita, standing at the stove and slicing some fresh made brownies, glanced through the 'window' in the wall separating the kitchen and the living room. Her lips quirked.

"I don't think we need too, Aims," Lita laughed. Ami glanced into the living room and chuckled softly. Serena was sprawled out on her back on the couch, snoring, still dressed, her shoes kicked off, sound asleep.

"Do you think what Luna said is true?" Raye asked as Lit and Ami came back into the living room.

"I have no idea," Lita said, glancing with a worried expression on her face at her Princess.

"Ssh!" Mina hushed. "Keep your voices down!"

"Oh, please," Raye rolled her eyes. "A hurricane couldn't wake her up right now." To prove her point, she went over and clapped her hands right next to Serena's ear.

The girls winced and waited for the impending shouting match that was to come…

Nothing.

Serena snored on. Mina shook her head and Raye smirked.

"Funny…" Lita said, setting the tray of brownies down on the floor in the middle of them all, on the floor beside the couch.

"What?" Mina asked, reaching for a brownie.

"Usually just the smell of food has Serena up and running, no matter how tired…but even though she's right there, she's still asleep."

"Now _that_ makes me worry," Raye muttered.

"What was that?" Ami asked, raising an eyebrow. "You, worried for Serena? And admitting it? My, my, my..." Raye fought the embarrassed blush that flared in her ears.

"Whatever," She mumbled. Mina grinned, and opened her mouth to say something, when a bloodcurdling, agony filled scream cut her off. She whirled, being the one with her back to the couch, and stood at the same time as everyone else.

"Serena!" Raye cried, dashing to her best friend's side. Still asleep, her back arched, fists clenched and eyes shut tight, Serena sobbed and tossed and turned with some unknown agony.

"Hold her down so she doesn't hurt herself!" Ami yelled over Serena's screams. Lita, being the strongest, pulled her Princess off the couch and to her, wrapping her arms around Serena's torso and pinning the smaller girl's arms to her side, while Raye grabbed her legs.

It was a good five minutes before her throws and screams stopped, and by then, so hard pressed they had been to keep their princess from hurting herself, the girls had yet to notice, as they caught their breath, the silver-golden glow that surrounded her…

The moment the pain stopped, Serena realized all at once that a) she was burning hot and freezing cold at the same time. B) she ached all over. C) She was on the ground. D) She was outdoors. And finally, E) she couldn't sense any of her Senshi, or Darien.

That last was what frightened her the most, admist all the fears and emotions and realizations that crashed into her all at once.

When her senses and mind began to slowly clear, she began to sense and realize other things. The first was that there was magic, wherever she was. The second was that there were the unmistakable sounds of a battle -she'd been in too many herself to not recognize them when she heard them- not far away.

But above all that she sensed…need…someone needed her…that was what had pulled her from the brink of death, she knew. Whatever it was she had gone through, her Senshi sense told her she should have died from the strain. But someone here needed her, and so she had lived. It was always like that…She lived and died, depending on what was needed of her. And she'd never once turned away, since she was always brought back. Always. Maybe that was why, when it came to the big fights, she wasn't afraid, because it was all or nothing. Whereas with the little fights, she knew that if she got hurt, she would live and have to deal with it.

Cowardly, she knew, but she felt sacrificing her life six times now allowed her to be a little selfish.

The need of the person that was dying pulled at her again. Suddenly Serena was able to ignore the pain, and open her eyes. Just like when fighting the pain of being under Rubeus's G-Flux capacitor and feeling like the entire world had been dropped on top of her, she forced herself to remember her loved ones, remember the ones that depended on her.

She pulled herself to her feet, and pried her eyes open once more. The colors and trees and greenery around her blurred, so that all she could make out was, in the distance, two dark figures. One was darker than the other…oh, so much darker…the other was on it's knees… She could feel the life draining out of him. With the empathy that she had always had, that had been awakened when she had become Sailor Moon, she could see, with her spirit's eye, his sorrow. She could see tendrils of light seeping away from him. She could also see that the creature in front of him was shrouded in a darkness that would have made Beryl think twice.

Serena didn't care.

That man needed her help…

Without realizing it, her crescent moon glowed into existence on her forehead, an invisible wind blowing her hair away from her brow, displaying her heritage and power for all to see as she painfully stumbled towards the fallen warrior…

There it was again, that feeling that something was drawing near. Good or evil, even he, an Elfen Prince trained in the ways of foresight, could not tell. _Perhaps that meant that the…thing, whatever it was that was coming, was good, but it would bring ill…? That seems the most logical,_ thought Legolas Greenleaf as he flung his last dagger into yet another enemy hybred-Orc, right between the eyes.

In the distance, he heard the Horn of Gondor being blared one last, weak time. He urged Aragorn to hurry to Boromir's side, knowing that it was Boromir that protected the two halflings. He, himself, as he fought his way through countless Orcs, kept an eye out for Frodo, all the while wondering about the force that was drawing ever nearer…

Serena cried out in pain as she fell to one knee, her arms wrapped around each other. Every sense, especially her empathy, was multiplied ten fold by the magic that surrounded her, that was woven in to the very fabric of time and space, here. She'd never felt anything like it in her time… Her time?

Yes…for as her senses here multiplied, she was somehow able to sense that she was not really in a different place, jut a different time…

God, she wished her head would clear from the pain so she could think more clearly! None of this made any sense…

There was another grunt of pain, not far up ahead, but this one did not originate from the man with four arrows buried in his chest. No, this came from the now beheaded monster that had shot those arrows. Another man stood over him, bloodied sword in hand as he rushed to the side of the fallen warrior. Serena watched from behind a tree that she pulled herself up to lean against.

She had to wait…if she interfered now, things would go wrong…there was something the fallen man had to say to his rescuer before she could interfere…if he did not, something would be lost…something important….

Damn, why couldn't she think straight?

And why was she thinking so…sensibly? She could just hear what Raye would say if she could hear her thoughts; _'Did Meatball Head get a brain transplant? I expected to see visions of sugarcanes and hamburgers in here! Not mysterious contemplations on the ways of the universe!'_

Serena shook her head, then hissed with the pain it brought. Biting back a groan of nausea, she held on for the life of the man before her…she just hoped he would say whatever it was he needed to say before it was too late…

The last Orc fell. It was the last; his senses told him so. Now Legolas could start looking for that halfling in earnest. Grumbling under his breath as he fitted another arrow into his bow, he headed for where the Horn of Gondor had sounded. Perhaps Frodo had heard the call and, being the naively brave halfling he was, had gone to help.

He rounded a large tree, and promptly jumped back, nimbly and silently. He glanced around the tree once more, his eyes narrowed. A slender, willowy figure was leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing that housed a fallen Boromir and a stricken Aragorn. She held herself as if she were a queen about to die…he could see the agony she felt in her slight movements, the hang of her head, the tilt of her shoulders.

Legolas watched as an unseen wind blew her gold-silver hair out behind and around her most oddly clad body; a short, pleated black skirt and a pink top. She was also barefoot, he saw, and had no cloak. _How cold she must be…_ he thought. How did she get all the way out here? How is she unhurt, clean, no cuts and scrapes?

Legolas narrowed his eyes as he stepped silently out from behind the tree, bow at the ready. As he neared, he heard the girl sniffle, wrapping her arms around herself tighter. Faintly, he registered words being exchanged between Boromir and Aragorn. Past the golden haired girl, he saw Aragorn fit Boromir's sword into Boromir's hand, and his attention was sharply pulled towards the two men, though he kept an eye on the girl, as well.

So…Boromir was to leave them. Legolas was familiar with the act of human warriors preferring to die with their weapons in hand.

Legolas's attention was once more pulled to the golden haired girl as she, with a sob, shoved herself away from the tree and stumbled into the clearing. Cursing, Legolas lowered his bow and stuck the arrow back into his quiver on his back. He rushed forward and grabbed her, partially to keep her from falling, and partially to keep her away from Aragorn, should she had planned on attacking. Not that she would have been able to do anything; the girl was louder than a horse.

"Let me go…" The girl groaned as she fell against him. "He needs me…"

Boromir…she was looking at Boromir.

"He is dead, lady," Legolas told her. His senses screamed that she was no threat…that she was love and purity incarnate, and yet…the thing he had felt was drawing near…the sensation…it was gone. Did that mean that this girl, this tiny slip of a human girl was the great prescence he'd sensed drawing near?

With strength she must have summoned from her very lifeforce, she pushed away from Legolas, and pulled herself to her feet. Legolas moved to stop her, then saw the ultimate determination on her face, her gaze fixated not on Aragorn, but on the lifeless form of Boromir. She half stumbled, half crawled to his form, refusing any form of help from Legolas, or Aragorn who was now watching with wariness as she pulled herself up, gasping with exhaustion and pain from an unseen wound, beside what was once Lord Boromir's shell.

The girl shoved herself up on her elbow, staring down at Boromir. She shut her eyes tight, and placed her other hand on his forehead. Something on her forehead flashed, bringing the upturned, golden crescent moon to the attention of the elf and human, and the dwarf that came up behind them.

"Who in the name of the seven devils is she?" Gimli roared, renewing his grip on his battle ax.

"I think she's trying to save him." Legolas said, a skeptical look on his face.

"Lady..." Aragorn reached for the girl. "Lady, please, he is gone. There is nothing you can do..." His words trailed off as a soft silver glow began to eminate from the crescent moon, growing until it had surrounded the girl and Boromir.

"What's she doing?" Gimli demanded, incredulous. Legolas stood and placed a hand on the dwarf's shoulder, should the shorter warrior decide he didn't like what he saw and attacked. Gimli shrugged off the hand.

"Do not touch me, elf!" He growled. "I am not so stupid as to interfere with this sort of sorcery!"

"It's not sorcery," Aragorn said, his eyes fixated on the face of the girl, contorted in determination, pain, fatigue, and, slowly...truimph?

The glow faded...

The three warriors held their breath...

As Boromir drew one, and the girl collapsed on top of him in a dead faint.

**To Be Continued...**

**IMPORTANT_:_**_ If you would like to be notified when new chapters are posted, please e-mail me at: __Makura_Koneko@hotmail.com__, or just review and say so, with your e-mail addy, and I will add you to my list! Thanks!_

Now on to the real author's notes… 

Ta da! Yet another chapter, yeah, I know, I said by August 20th, but I finished this early so I figured why not post it now?

OMG the response to the prologue was absolute amazing!!!! I'm so touched that so many of you liked my story so much! *tears* I feel so special! *hugglez all*

As for bringing Boromir back, I fully expect a flame or two regarding that, but, I want to give my story every unique twist I can, and I have seen VERY few fics that brought Boromir back/had him never die, so... Plus, I kinda liked Boromir. He hated the fact that he wanted the Ring so badly, and it wasn't his fault; he's only human! Yes, yes, I know 'well, Aragorn resisted, so why couldn't Boromir?' News flash; everybody's different. Plus, I have another reason for bring him back, which will be revealed later.

My last note before I say adieu, is that unless I get an overwhelming amount of requests for a Serena/Legolas (which is the only other couple I will consider, sorry), Serena will remain loyal to Darien. Sorry, peeps; I'm a pretty solid cannon relationship fan, and Serena and Darien definitely count as a Cannon couple. I know Darien's not exactly an angel, but if you haven't noticed, I'm going with more the manga version of Sailor Moon (except for the names) and in the manga, Darien is MUCH more attentive and darling than the anime Darien-baka.

So, with that said, I shall say adieu as I promised, and that I hope to see you all again in the next chapter! Ja ne!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	3. Chapter Two: Awakenings

**The********Will of the Ring**

Chapter Two

_by Makura Koneko_

**_Big Thanks to:_**

**Serenity Raye**

**Phoenix Wing Star**

**Llinauri**

**Be'Jammin**(Thanks for correcting me about the number of Rings!)

**Rinavariel**

**star0704**

**Faye Nightmare**

**Remiko**

**The Summer Princess**

**faith032385**

**New Rouge **

**Moon**

**Angel of Flames**

**HikariTsuki** (^^ Amusing that you'd describe my writing as 'reading like poetry.'….I'm absolutely horrible at poetry!)  
** SS Silver AKA Silver Shadows**  (*laughs* Yes, those multiple 'Serena/Legolas' repetitions was quite enough. *grins* Btw, I'm a big fan of your fics!!!)

**saturnpyroprincess**

**~Pyro nicole** (Serena? Turn evil because she's Sauron's daughter? *contemplates, then grins and walks away, whistling innocently*).

**Butterfly**

**Maria **

**Rose Yami Hikari**

**Diablo**

**One Winged Angel's Lover** (^^ You're welcome for the Wizard's name!)

**Goddess-of-Light**

**Jacquelin Benito****   
Jackie**

**abyssal chaos**

**Lacrea Moonlight**

**Leslie Hellstone, Chamos**

**_And now our Story Continues…_**

Aragorn burst through the treeline and into their camp. The first thing he noticed was that neither Frodo nor Sam were there. The second, was that neither was one of the boats and a good chunk of their supplies. Aragorn cursed, as Legolas, the golden haired girl in his arms, and Gimli, a very much alive and breathing, and unhurt Boromir leaning on him heavily, came out of the forest and onto the camp ground behind him.

"Frodo took off on his own." Legolas surmised for himself, a scowl on his face. Gimli set about cursing violently in dwarvish, as Boromir hung his head.

"Sam is with him," Aragorn said. "They will succeed."

"They had better!" Gimli grumbled. "But should we not take up after them? The little halfings are brave, but they will not last a day out in the swamps and wilderness of Mordor."

"I think you underestimate them," Boromir managed to speak up, though the effort left him gasping for breath.

"But we must, if nothing else to make sure the Fellowship does not fail!" Gimli argued, his dwarvish face red.

"It has already failed," Legolas told him sharply. "It failed the moment _we_ failed to protect the Ring bearer."

Silence reigned over them, until Aragorn finally spoke up.

"We may not be able to do anything more for Frodo and Sam, but we can resolve to not leave Merry and Pippin to the fate that awaits them at Isengarde."

"Isengarde...?" Legolas repeated. "How do you know they will be taken there?"

"The tracks." Aragorn told them, sheathing his sword. "The ones that retreated all headed back to Isengarde, not to Mordor. I believe Saruman has an agenda of his own."

"You mean he wishes the Ring for himself?" Gimli said in a disbelieving tone. "I find it hard to believe that someone as wise as Saruman would not be fully aware of the fact that the One Ring answers to one Master, and one Master alone."

_The Ring may answer to Sauron, but the Moongold answers to Serenity..._

The voice was wispy and faint, and apparently heard only by Legolas, for he was the only one that gave any indication of hearing a mysterious voice upon the winds of time...

"We need to get moving before sundown." Aragorn said, lifting the pack carrying the food and hunting tools. "Take only what you can easily carry; we travel light. We should be able to make a few miles, even with Boromir as he is and our...guest."

"You should leave me behind, my lord," Boromir coughed. "I will only burden you. I will catch up one I have regained my strength, and-"

"Dream on, buddy, you know just as well as I do that these pig heads won't leave you behind even if you try and stab them in their sleep," A groggy voice mumbled. All eyes turned the slight form in Legolas's arms. She stirred, and yawned, and looked up at the pale-haired elf with large, blinking, breathtakingly lovely sapphire eyes before turning her gaze to Boromir, still leaning heavily on Gimli.

"Hiya!" She said brightly. "My name's Serena! What's yours?"

"I am Boromir of Gondor, fair lady, and you have my eternal thanks."

"That's nice, though I think I'd prefer a Sundae instead, right about now..." She yawned, then promptly fell back to into the clutches of sleep, her head falling against Legolas's chest once again with a snore.

"What is going _on_ with that Meatball head?" Raye growled as she paced back and forth across Lita's living room. Ami, sitting in a dining room chair that had been pulled beside the couch, was typing away furiously on her mini Mercury Data computer.

"That is precisely what I am attempting to discover, Raye," Ami sighed. "Please, be patient."

"I wonder if this is like that sleep she was put under with that hypnotic youma that attacked Rini that one time, when the Dark Moon came?" Mina suggested. "Or what about that time when Rini was trapped in a nightmarish shadow of her ruined kingdom?"

"That seems to be the case," Ami said slowly. "Or at least something similar. While Serena's physical body is simply in nothing more than a very, very deep sleep, almost more of a coma, really, her mind is...elsewhere."

"What else is new?" Raye snorted. Lita -semi- playfully smacked her upside the head. Ami threw her a glance and Mina rolled her eyes.

"I mean literally, Raye," Ami told her. "Not Serena's usual absentminded 'spaciness,' but her mind, her spirit, her essence is really and truly...not here. Somewhere else."

"Do you mean...'somewhere else on the planet' somewhere else, or 'on another planet' somewhere else, or...?" Mina prompted.

"Or 'in an alternate dimension' somewhere else?" Lita pushed.

"None of the above," Ami said, her eyes widening slightly as her Mini Computer beeped. "She's...Serena, the real Serena, is... Good lord…girls, her spirit, her essence, her mind has been transported one-hundred billion years into the past!"

(**Author's Note:**

_Readers should note at this time that I have absolutely no idea what happens in the LotR trilogy beyond the end of the first movie. I have only read the Hobbit and the first five chapters of 'the Fellowship of the Rings.' The movie, however, I have practically memorized. So, just please remember that all events -save the main idea of them going to rescue Merry and Pippin- after Boromir's 'death' are completely of my own creation._

_-Makura Koneko_)

Boromir sat against the tree, watching the golden angel sleep. 'Serena' she had said her name was. How fitting. She radiated peace and gentleness. According to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli (who were out hunting, fishing, and chopping wood, respectively) he owed his life to this tiny girl. He didn't doubt them. The way she had looked at him, the brief and only time she'd awoken in the past five days, had been with a look of happy satisfaction.

He could tell that all of them, even Gimli, had already become attached to her. And although he had only seen her awake but once, for a few seconds, when he himself had been on the verge of collapsing, no one argued that it was Boromir whom was the most protective. The ultimate big brother, he would probably glare at his own King, Aragorn, if he thought Aragorn gave him reason to think he was having ungentlemanly thoughts towards the petite girl. 

But it was almost painfully clear that Aragorn's only romantic thoughts were still, and always would be, centered around the elfen princess Arwen, and so there had been no trouble on that font.

Gimli was still having reservations about the human, him being the one of the group that disliked sorcery the most. But when he'd voiced his concern one night over how long she'd gone without even stirring, his unwilling affection towards the girl became apparent, and he didn't deny it.

Boromir faintly detected the unmistakable sound of a nimble footed elf coming towards the camp. Boromir knew that, had Legolas wanted to be truly silent, Boromir wouldn't have noticed Legolas's approach till the elf was right next to him.

As it was, the arrival of the girl Serena and the unintended mutual protectiveness they all felt towards her somehow managed to link them together as never before, and Boromir was glad for it. He had no idea how he would have won their trust back -he wasn't really even sure if he had- without her.

He wondered, for the thousandth time, why she had been so bent on saving him. Had she known what he had done? She must not have…else she never would have saved him. Where had she come from? Why had she been dressed so oddly? They had, when she'd begun to shiver in the frigid mountain air, dressed her in a spare outfit of Pippin's. How they had managed to do it without touching or seeing anything, was still a mystery to them all.

Amazingly, the baggy black pants, off-white blouse and dark blue vest fit surprisingly well; that's how short and small she was. A _little_ taller, than the halfling's whose clothes she wore, perhaps, but by only half a foot at most.

Boromir watched Legolas as he laid out the fish on a length of smoothed wood and began to gut and scale them. Now, the elf Boromir had some slight worries about. The glances he'd occasionally thrown at the slumbering girl hadn't been as brotherly as Boromir would have liked.

At that moment, Gimli returned with an armload of wood. He set to the task of arranging them in the pit Boromir had dug and lined with sand and rocks. By the time he was almost done, Aragorn had returned as well, and had begun to clean and prepare the two large, fat hares he'd caught for their supper. When he was half done, Boromir fished out a canister of dried, stale biscuits and laid them on a small tray by the fire with a little water in the tray. Within minutes, they were absorbing the warm water and fluffing up.

By the time the hares had been cleaned, the fire was roaring, and Aragorn set to spearing the fish and chunks of hare meat on a stick, and roasted them over the fire.

This was the first time in five days they'd allowed themselves a cooked meal, fearing themselves too close to Mordor to risk it. And although they'd been following the tracks of the Orcs that had taken Merry and Pippin for just as long, they felt they were sufficiently behind them -not necessarily a good thing- that it was safe.

Had they known the -very short- list of things that were foolproof for awakening the golden haired girl that lay asleep on the only mat they'd brought with them, under a blanket made out of Boromir's cloak, they may have risked a cooked meal several days ago. As it was, they were quite surprised when they heard someone sniffing loudly, followed by an even louder growling of a stomach. A stomach that was none of theirs.

"Ai! Sakana! Yum!" In a flash, a blonde blur had planted itself between Boromir and Legolas, a plate, snatched from Legolas's outstretched hand, held out before her. She had a pretty smile on her face, and a light in her eye. From looking at her, there was absolutely no indication that she had been asleep for five days, and had only awoken not even a moment before.

She then registered the surprised stares she was receiving from the four males, and blushed as she dropped the plate and scratched the back of her head, a sheepish expression on her face. Surprise registered in her expression when her hand encountered a long braid, rather than hair pulled tautly aside and up into two buns. Legolas, being the one with the longest hair, had been the only one to have any success with the girl's long tresses. Using a small comb they kept on hand out of habit, he'd just barely manage to coax the impossibly long and thick tresses into a decent braid that went to her knees.

"We had to do something with your hair to keep it from tripping us when we carried you," Legolas told her, picking up the dropped plate and putting a few slices of roasted fish and a biscuit on it, and handing it to her. He hoped she wouldn't blanch at not having a fork… But she only smiled at him.

"Arigatou!" She chirped -they took it as to mean some sort of 'thank you'- and they all blinked as she promptly began 'stuffing her face' with the speed a hobbit would envy. Boromir chuckled.

"Stop staring, you oafs," He laughed. "The girl's been asleep for five days, of course she's hungry." And, he, too, served himself some hare and fish and a biscuit and began eating with his bare hands. As if that act broke a spell, everyone exchanged amused glances, and they all began eating in silence, leaving questions for after the girl had replenished herself.

"Shiagari!" The girl said, raising her hand up as if she had just won a race. Despite none of them having any idea what the word meant, Aragorn surmised that it meant she had finished.

"If the lady is finished, then perhaps we might get some answers?" Gimli suggested gruffly. Serena looked at him with wide, blinking eyes. Her expression made it clear she had no idea what he'd just said.

"Serena?" Boromir asked. Serena jumped when he used her name.

"Nani?" She answered. Boromir frowned. Why was she talking in such a strange tongue, and why did she act as if she did not know Common? She'd spoken it quite perfectly the first time she'd awoken.

"Perhaps something happened to her memory," Legolas suggested.

"Mai oboe no tadashii komaka, arigatou yohodo amata!" The girl said to Legolas, her manner indignant. As if to prove it, she pointed at Boromir and began to talk once again, rather rapidly, using the tone one would use when reciting a list of events when one was bored with doing so.

"Wait just a moment, lass," Gimli growled. Serena jumped and looked at him with wide eyes. "Do you mean to tell me that you can understand the elf, here, but not us?" He was clearly displeased when his suspicion was confirmed by the apparent non-comprehension at his words that was on her face.

"Lady, can you understand me?" Legolas asked her carefully. She turned to him, blinking.

"Hai." She said.

"Does 'hai' mean 'yes?'"

"_Hai_!" This time she nodded her head firmly several times in an affirmative.

"Ask her how she got all the way up here, and why," Aragorn told Legolas. "Ask her if she was with anyone."

Legolas relayed the questions. Gimli fumed that the elf was the only one able to communicate with the golden haired girl. Boromir wasn't too happy about it, either, but not because Legolas was an elf. He was simply displeased that someone else was able to share something with her that he could not.

"Um…." Serena started, obviously trying to figure out how to explain it so that they could understand. At last she shrugged.

"You don't know how you got here?" Legolas asked. Serena nodded. "So there was no one with you?" This time she shook her head. Her face fell. Boromir reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, and, to the surprise of all, pulled him into a tight embrace, a smile on her face. Boromir, surprised, hugged her back. She released him, but didn't move away.

"Serena, do you remember the first time you woke up, and introduced yourself?" Legolas continued. Serena nodded slowly.

"Do you remember what language you spoke?"

"Japanese, duh." She said.

"Well, we heard you speak Common," Legolas told her. Serena blinked. "Do you know why this is?" She started to shake her head, then stopped. Her eyes widened, and she snapped her fingers as she stood up sharply.

"Hai hai!" She said emphatically.

"You know how we were able to understand you?" Gimli asked. Legolas echoed the question, and Serena nodded excitedly. She held up a finger for silence and motioned for them all to back up. When they did, she held up her hand, and a sphere of gold and pink light swirled into existence in her hand. It solidified into the form of a golden brooch an upturned crescent moon on it -the same sort that had been on her forehead, they all remembered- and golden wings on either side.

"More sorcery!" Gimli grumbled.

"_Moon Eternal…**Power**_!" She cried out. They blinked in surprise when they heard the words were in Common. Their surprise at this, however, was nothing compared to the shock that griped them next… An invisible wind began to swirl around her, along with the gold, pink, red, green, blue, silver, purple, aqua, yellow, white, and burgundy sparkling lights that lanced from the flashing upturned crescent moon on her forehead. She was lifted into the air by the silhouette of white, opalescent wings that formed on her back. Her clothing disappeared, but instead of being 'displayed' for all to see, her form was glowing simply too brightly for any 'features' to be distinguished.

Her wings folded in front of her, concealing her for a moment before flashing back, leaving in their wake a silver tiara on her forehead that framed her crescent moon, long, flowing sleeves on her arms, and a three-layer skirt flaring about her slender hips.

She arched her back, a pinprick of light flashing out from between her breasts, over her heart. The locket, the golden heart shaped brooch with a crescent moon on it settled there. The wings on either side faded and disappeared, and the crescent moon turned silver.

The lancing of light split into ribbons that floated down to wrap around her entire body. The light from the ribbons spread like milk all over her. Her entire form flashed once, and when it faded, there, hovering in midair, surrounded by a gentle, soft, pure silver-golden glow, was a truly angelic warrior.

The glow, rather than the wings that sprouted from her back, seemed to lower her to the ground. When the glow faded, she still seemed shine under the moonlight. She opened her eyes, and looked down at herself. She gasped. Apparently her ensemble wasn't quite what she had expected, either.

The three layers of skirts were white-gold, silver, and transparent opalescent, in that order from bottom to top. The fitted bodice was the purest of pearly whites. The sleeves were the same as the ones you'd find on a statue of an angel; full, gathered, with a slit on the top of the sleeve running from her shoulder to the end of the sleeve. It was of the same opalescent, glittery material as the top skirt of the three mini-skirts.

The 'v' neckline was edged in the same one-inch wide white ribbon with gold brocade and silver thread and white pearls that bordered the top of the 'v' waistline skirts. At the bottom of the 'v' neckline was the locket that had formed her hand when she had called out. A small gold heart with a silver crescent moon on top was in the dip of the 'v' at her waist, just below where her bellybutton would be. Earrings that matched the small brooch at her waist dangled from her ears, and yet another was pinned to at her throat in the center of a half-an-inch wide white ribbon. The ends of the ribbons hung down to her waist and blew in the wind.

Her wings, the purest of white, were folded at her back. And at the small of her back was yet another brooch, smaller than the one on her chest, but large than the one below her belly button. And out from under it spilled a multitude of white, silver, pale-gold and cream ribbons that went to her ankles.

Her hair, once a gold that had a silver sheen when under the right light, was now the opposite; silver, that looked pale gold when the moonlight glanced off it just right. Up in two twin silver spherical buns, with not one, but three long streamers of hair coming down from each bun. Strings of pearls were wrapped around each bun and were wound around the middle streamer coming out of each bun.

There were two silver wires coming out from her hairline on either side of he forehead to stop just before either side of her crescent moon, each capped with a pearl carved into an filigree that arched to frame her upturned crescent moon insignia.

The oddest, thing, though, was that she was barefoot. And she didn't seem to mind. She wasn't cold nor did she look like she was beginning to be.

Serena was at a loss for words, and it showed.

"You…did not know this would happen?" Legolas asked, an eyebrow raised slightly. Serena looked up, as if surprised they were still there. She looked sheepish and shook her head.

"Not really," She said. They all blinked, then grinned when they realized they could understand her.

"Hey, you know what I'm saying?" She asked. Legolas nodded.

"Yes, we do," Boromir told her.

"Totally wicked!" She grinned. "It worked!"

"It must have…" Aragorn said. "And tell, just what was it you did?"

"Transformed," She said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing the in the world while examining her new attire. "Although, my fuku changed since the last time I transformed." She thought for a moment. "Then again, it has been almost a year since our last battle…" A shadow passed over her eyes, and she absently, without meaning to, touched her bare left ring finger… She shook herself, and her dazzling smile was in place once more.

"Anyways," She popped back to the present on her own with a sunny smile. "I tried to think of what was different from now and then last time I said anything, and the only thing I could think of was that I'd just used my powers," She winked at Boromir. "So that meant my moon symbol was probably still on my head. "She tapped the upturned crescent moon sign on her forehead. "See? I thought about turning into Princess Serenity, but that would have take too much of my strength, and I don't have End-" She stopped, her face going blank for the briefest of instants before she continued. "I don't have the Senshi here to support me, so I opted for the next best thing." She struck a pose. "And voila!"

She didn't notice the dark shadow that flashed over Aragorn and Boromir's eyes for the briefest instant when she mentioned 'Princess Serenity.'

"Why do I get the feeling maybe we should have let her think we understood her before she…transformed?" Gimli grumbled.

"What, afraid of competition for the title of 'fastest talker?'" Legolas taunted in a friendly tone. Gimli grumbled under his breath as his face turned red.

Serena had returned to examining her new outfit, and she frowned. "How come whoever designed this fuku couldn't have done my Eternal fuku, too? This one is a lot cooler…and it actually has some color coordination going on… I'm sorry, but red, blue, _and_ pink just don't cut it. Too flashy, and they definitely don't identify with the Moon." 

And she honestly thought so, too, as she didn't notice the four males before her exchanging amused looks. She relished the sensations she was getting from being in her new transformation…she wondered what had triggered it. New, advanced forms of Sailor Moon had always come when times were most desperate. And even then, a lot of the time she hadn't gotten a new form, just advanced to Serenity just long enough to seriously kick some bad guy butt.

That was another thing…this form…it felt like she was both Sailor Moon and Serenity. She liked it. She liked it a lot. Serenity was supposed to be a beautiful, poised, elegant, regal, wise Princess. Sailor Moon was supposed to be a serious, resourceful, brave, graceful warrior. Serena had always had trouble understanding how she was supposed to merge and _be_ two such conflicting identities at once…

But this form…it somehow blended Serenity, the Guardian of the Moon, _and_ Serena… She liked it. She liked it a lot.

And as for her locket, the only thing that was different was the wings were gone, and the crescent moon on it was silver. She reached up and touched it…

Suddenly a hauntingly beautiful melody began to play itself as the locket on her chest opened up on it's own, spilling a beam of silver light to pour out from the Silver Crystal within. The beam of light settled on a place in the clearing that was their camp. An image began to be formed inside it. The image flickered, then became visible, transparent, but distinguishable.

Serena gasped

"_Mother_?"

**To Be Continued…**

Heh…I know…I'm evil… And yes, I know, '_Another_ chapter? Does this girl even _have_ a life?" And the answer is, yes _another_ chapter, and no, I don't really have a life to speak of outside reading and writing, dancing, shopping, and…yeah, shopping, that's about it. *sweatdrop*

Anyhoo, hope you guys are happy; you get your Serena/Legolas. Since I already had the next two chapters written, its gonna take some serious editing on my part, but…hey, what can I say? I'm a slave to my fans.

I would like to address 'Nica's request. She asked for a Rei/Legolas or Ami/Frodo. I kinda wanted to the Rei/Legolas, but that would have distracted too much from Serena, so I'll probably use that pairing at a later date in another fic. ^^ But the Ami/Frodo one… *walks away whistling*

Ja!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_


	4. Chapter Three: Expect the Unexpected

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The Will of the Ring

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Chapter Three

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by Makura Koneko

**__**

Big Thanks to:

**Phoenix Wing Star**

**DT-chan**

**Fate's Child**

Maria 

**Crazygurl70**

****

Umi (Thank you ever so much for that correction! I never thought to consider maybe the Japanese have another word for their own native language…How very blonde of me… And you're absolutely right about the translation thing…*frowns* I think I meant to, but I must have forgotten… *sweatdrop* I need an proof-reader… Any volunteers? ^^;)

****

SS Silver AKA Silver Shadows (Did I have him scowl? Oops, my bad…But I did see him scowl once in the movie! Just once, but it was there!!!! I swear!)

**Tegasus**

**Butterfly**

**HikariTsuki** (*laugh and hugglez* You are just so sweet a girl! Thanks so much for your praise!)

**Katcin Lee** (Thrilled to see SOMEONE liked that I planned on keeping Usa and Mamoru together…as for peer pressure…-.-; Yeah, I'm a sucker when it comes to giving in to that…*tears* But, I swear, I WILL be writing another LotR/SM crossover where Serena and Darien will be ROCK SOLID!!!!!! I promise!!!)

**The Kuro no Tenshi** (Thanks for the tidbits tips! I suspected as much, but thanks for confirming!)

**Sirithdiliel** (*grins* I understand perfectly with the 'too lazy to sign in' thing.)

**MoonGrlonearth**

Amélie 

**DemonicCatGirl** (heh heh…'demonic cat girl?' Chica, that is so me… My nickname is Cat and I can be VERY demonic…heh…. *hugglez* You're review was so uplifting! Thankies!)

**Liquid Ice**

Starlight (Making the skirt longer….hmmmm….I never considered that, but you're right… That will definitely be a detail I shall ponder. Thanks!)

**ChibiTenshi**

**__**

Let the Legend Continue…

Five days.

Ami sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. The golden haired Moon Princess Serenity, in the form of Serena Tsukino, was sound asleep in Lita's bed, in one of Lita's spare pjs, her hair down and brushed around her to a glossy glow.

It had been five days since the sleepover Luna had organize in preparation for the dream that would have Serena relive the end of the Silver Millennium. But, it seemed that something went wrong…something happened in the Moon Warrior's sleep, but it ended in something far from a simple dream, or awakening of memories.

The first obvious idea that came to them all was Darien…but that had only proved to make their situation worse, for the sadness over the Earth Prince's death, even with it having been almost a year ago, was still too raw.

It had been the week after the defeat of Galaxia…Darien had declared in front of all of them what an idiot he'd been to leave Serena, but she, golden hearted as ever, had forgiven him before he had even been able to finish his apology. They'd been inseparable for the entire next week, Darien determined to make up for all the years he'd been less than attending… It was the last week they would ever spend together…

The attack had been sudden and unexpected. Chaos's last surviving minion had leaped for the Moon Princess out of nowhere…Darien had shoved her out of the way, taken the blow…

Ami clenched her fists as the images bombarded her memory. Raye had had a vision…they'd rushed to the scene…but they'd been too late… There hadn't even been anything left to bury.

And now his absence was felt the worst of all since his death…

Ami shook herself.

The senshi had hardly slept or eaten since that Saturday evening, five days ago. It was Thursday now, and Ami realized it was a school day. For the first time in her life, Ami had skipped school, and not only that, but four whole days. She wondered why she wasn't panicking… Then she looked again at the slumbering Moon Princess, and a tear rolled down her face. How could anyone care about school with the fate of the one who held the destiny of the earth itself was in peril?

It tore at them all that they could do so little to help…but, nevertheless, they were doing all they could. The day before, Serena had begun to show signs of malnutrition, so…

**__**

Flashback

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"Doctor! Doctor! Somebody help her!" Mina cried in a brilliant performance of a stricken best friend, Lita in her laying lax in her arms. Lita's face was flushed from embarrassment at having to play the helpless, injured damsel, but that only helped further her act.

Mina's skirt was pulled precariously high during her struggle to pull the heavier girl through the sliding doors, giving the security guard a good view of no-little amount of slender leg.

"What's wrong?" A man in a white doctors coat came over, followed by a stretcher. They laid Lita on it, and began pushing her towards the emergency room.

"I don't know!" Mina wailed, and burst into tears and threw herself over the top of Lita, pulling her skirt even higher. Unseen by all, due to the security' guards eyes being…elsewhere, all eyes on the hysterical blond, two figures walked inside and casually went through a pair of swinging doors that clearly said 'Employees Only.'

Raye and Ami, once inside, stuck to the shadows as only they could.

"In here," Ami whispered softly, and the two of them slipped into the room marked 'supplies.' It was in the back of the room, past toilet paper and paper towels and hospital gowns that they found what they needed; an IV bag, and one of those metal 'trees' to hold it up, along with a few needles.

Ami took off all her clothing except for the leotard she'd worn, and stuffed it all into Raye's backpack, along with the needles. She slipped into one of the hospital gowns Raye fished out a box, She messed up her hair, and Raye taped the end of the IV wire to the inside of her wrist as Ami hung the IV bag on the 'tree.'

Looking like a friend helping a friend check out from the hospital, Raye and Ami slipped out of the Employee's wing, and walked slowly, and casually, chatting, Raye supporting a 'shaky' Ami out the door with the stolen goods in plain sight.

No one even noticed, except to smile at the obviously strong friendship between the two. Waiting for them outside was Mina and Lita –whom had made a miraculous recovery, demanded a candy bar, claiming it was diabetes. The girls hoped into Andrew's black mustang convertible, and they were off.

**__**

End Flashback

They had gotten home, hooked up their Princess to the IV unit, but the next morning…they'd had to take her off it, because, somehow, she'd begun to have too many minerals and vitamins in her blood stream. But the drip of the IV hadn't been raised, so where had the extra nourishment come from?

Mina, with surprising insight, had suggested the idea that maybe, wherever her essence was, her spirit version of herself had eaten, therefore her real body was sustained as well. It seemed, while farfetched, the only explanation they could come up with. Andrew had supported it.

Andrew… Ami sighed. He'd followed Mina, when he'd seen her more down that he'd ever imagined she could ever be. Mina had accidentally left Lita's apartment door unlocked, and Andrew had slipped inside, and had heard everything. Ami sighed again. She was almost positive the man had figured out by now who they were. After all, they were at his arcade/parlor almost every day, and when Beryl had been attacking, there had been attacks there at least once a week. So Andrew had a lot of sightings of both them and their alternate egos to compare faces, even if the magic was supposed to keep people from recognizing them, even if they got a good long look. 

Ami brushed a strand of her princess's hair off her forehead, and put some more chapstick on her lips, which were beginning to dry out again.

That done, she gave her princess one last look before bending over the laptop in her lap, hooked up to her Mini-Data Computer, and began typing and scanning once more.

After a hour of this and still no success on finding a way to either a) bring Serena back or b) go to where she was, the telephone rang.

"Kino residence," Ami said as she set the phone between the side of her head and her shoulder.

"Hey, Ami, Raye here," Raye said. She, too, sounded exhausted. "Found anything."

"Not yet," Ami said with a sigh. "You?"

"Nothing worth reporting. A few glimpses of a forest type place, but that doesn't tell us much. If she's as far back as you say, she could very well be in a time before even the dinosaurs. The entire Earth will be one big garden."

"Your right, knowing she's in some sort of forest does little." Ami rubbed the bridge of her nose once more. "Well, keep working."

"Ami, I've tried every technique I've ever learned, and even some that even Grandpa has trouble performing."

"Maybe you're just asking the wrong questions."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, Raye," Ami sighed. "I don't know."

"I think I might." A voice said. Ami jumped and turned. Standing in the doorway was the tall, lean figure of Seiya Tachunakai.

(**AN**: _Does anyone know the last name of the Starlights???_)

"S-Seiya?" Ami stuttured.

"Seiya's there?" Raye exclaimed.

"I'll call you back," Ami told her. Raye reluctantly agreed. They said goodbye, and hung up.

"S-Seiya!"

"I believe you've said that already," Seiya teased. Ami blinked and flushed.

"W-well…welcome back… Pardon my interruptions, but… You were saying?" Ami asked of the foreign Senshi as he sat down on the bed, on the opposite side of Ami. He touched her cheek, his face a mask of sorrow. Ami knew Lita and Raye were going through the same thing. They hated that this dilemma wasn't physical, not like the time Serena had been kidnapped. Those times, there had been something, a bad guy, for them to go after and pound.

But with this…all they could do was sit and wait and hope, and it was killing them.

"Seiya?" Ami asked softly. Seiya looked up from Serena's face.

"You've been trying to figure out a way to get to her, right?"

Ami nodded, wondering how he knew what was going on.

"Well, have you tried just trying to get to the same time as her?" He asked. "Then you could find her. To find a particular pinprick of light across thousands of eons is much more difficult than just locating a specific time. Once were at that time, it would be relatively easy to locate her."

Ami blinked.

So fixated they had all been on rushing to their princess's rescue in one leap, that they hadn't considered the route that Luna and Artimus had pounded into them from the first day of their training; a plan. And plans came in steps. Achievable, reliable steps, not unsure, shaky leaps and bounds that would render you almost sure to fall short of your goal.

With a few quick key strokes, Ami confirmed that to teleport to the time Serena was in would be quite easy, no more difficult than it had been to teleport from one end of Raye's temple grounds to the other, as they had done during practice. Oddly, it was much easier and much less draining to go across time than it was to go across distances or to a different dimension. Except, the reason this was easier, was that there were paths throughout time…problem was, those paths were guarded.

"Lita," Ami called into her wrist communicator. A miniature picture of Lita's face fizzed into view.

"Found anything, Aims?" Lita asked hopefully. Behind her, Ami could see the red of Mina's hairbow.

"Yes, I have," Ami said. She glanced at Seiya; the Inner Senshi weren't going to like this.

"But we need the Outers," Ami said. "Lita, I know you kept ties with Haruka. Contact her. Let her know what's going on. Ignore any jibs she may throw out; this is no time to let our petty differences waste time, do you hear?"  


"Yes, ma'am," Lita said glumly. Ami nodded.

"Good. Ami out." She snapped the wrist communicator off, and sighed. "Now we wait," She said softly. Silence reigned, lessened only by the soft breathing of the one that the nine greatest warriors of the universe would die, and had, to protect….

(**Author's Note:**

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Readers at this time should please remember that I have absolutely no idea what happens after the end of 'Lord of the Rings; The Fellowship of the Ring' movie. Therefore I am taking my lead from things implied by events near the end of that movie. I do not know any of what happened during Sam and Frodo's journey through Mordor to Mount Doom, therefore I am giving my own interpretation of what I believed would have happened. I do not claim to be able to ever even possibly come anywhere close to the masterpiece that is J.R.R. Tolkien's work, but I shall try to do the plot justice.

****

-Makura)

"Seems like an eternity since we left the Fellowship, eh Frodo?" Sam said, his voice forcefully normal; it was out of the question to attempt to be cheerful. Frodo glanced up from staring into the small, smoke-less fire.

"Longer than an eternity," Frodo sighed. Sam handed him a piece of dry bread, the last of it, taking the smaller piece for himself. Frodo frowned at this, but he had given up days ago trying to talk Sam into at least _trying_ to make the portions equal.

For once, Gimli the Dwarf had not exaggerated. Mordor was everything he had predicted. The description of the place Boromir had given at the Council so long ago came to mind. The words Legolas had muttered to him later when the discussion had come up again came to mind, now as well. 

__

"Maybe not with ten thousand men it would be impossible, but with an elf, four hobbits, a dwarf, and a King, it is all but impossible," He'd said to Frodo under his breath. Frodo smiled, then frowned. Perhaps they would have succeeded with all of them, but when Merry and Pippin had sacrificed themselves, bring themselves to the attention of twenty hybred-Orcs, to allow Frodo to escape, Frodo had known then and there that the Fellowship was doomed. Without all its members, it was a broken crumbling of a once magnificent fortress.

Now only Sam and Frodo remained of that fortress that was the Fellowship. Where the others were, Frodo had no idea. He prayed they were all right. He even dared to hope that mayhap Merry and Pippin had gotten away…

He knew that hope was folly, but it was the only one he had. He didn't expect to ever get out of Mordor alive. He never had. He'd just planned on making it to Mount Doom, creeping up to the edge of the volcano, and tossing it in. Maybe even tossing himself in along with it, except he knew that if he did that, Sam would jump right in after him. So for Sam's sake, Frodo planned on at least trying to get out of Mordor alive.

'Trying' being the key word…'succeeding' was hardly in his vocabulary any more.

"M…mother…?" Serena breathed in shock, eyes wide.

"My darling Serenity," The image of the ethereal woman with delicate fairy wings on her back smiled up at Serena with sadness in her eyes.

"A fairy…" Legolas murmured. Fairies, distant cousins of elfs, also called Lunarians because they mainly resided on the Moon, hadn't been seen or heard of since the forging of the Rings of Power.

"I thought they were myth!" Gimli exclaimed.

"Apparently not, if this is any indication," Boromir murmured.

"Silence," Aragorn ordered. "Watch and listen." They obeyed.

"My darling princess," The fairy said as Serena knelt before the image, eyes wide. "If you are watching this, you have finally reached the most powerful stage of the evolution of the Moon Warrior. This identity has no name except the one you give it. You can continue to call yourself Sailor Moon, or Serenity, or anything you wish, for you are the first to reach it alive.

"This stage is special, my darling daughter, because it is not triggered by emotional need or because the fate of the Universe depends on it, but because He Himself has granted it to you. His reasons are not only clear, but I think you can surmise from His giving you this gift that a great struggle is near.

"Do not despair, daughter. You have triumphed over many evils before, and you will again."

"But, mother, my Senshi were always with me, and my Prince! I can't fight anything without them! I'm weak without them!" Serena burst out, tears running down her face. "And Darien…mother, Endymion is gone! How can I ever-"

"I know you feel weak on your own," The image said, and it became obvious that this was only a pre-created message, not an interactive projection. Serena sobbed, then bit her lip and forced herself to listen.

"But you are far from it. Even as a child, I could see so much of your father in you. The few good qualities your father had before he…" The fairy swallowed, and continued. "They are multiplied in you tenfold. 

"Daughter, I know you slipped off to Earth the night of the anniversary ball of my coronation, and I know that you met the Prince Endymion. I know you now know the story of the Rings of Power, of Sauron, and the One Ring. I also know that, by now, you may suspect who your Father is…or was. I know now that Sauron was defeated, and Earth returned to normal. I should thank you that I now know this, for in my own fear of what I might see, I refused, for three thousand years, to look down at what was happening on Earth."

"Oh, mother…" Serena murmured, not noticing the shock on the faces of the four that stood behind her.

"Be brave, my darling princess," the fairy said reaching out as if to touch her daughter. "And remember, that for all his evil, what little love he was capable was giving, it was all given to you, as is all of mine."

The image faded, the silver beam of light shrinking. The locket closed, and the music stopped, and all that was heard was the soft sobs of a silver clad girl sitting under a beam of moonlight that streamed down through a gap in the branches overhead.

Boromir stepped forward softly and knelt beside her. Serena, a sob wrenched from her throat, threw herself at him and buried herself in his arms, sobbing. They remained thus, until Serena's sobs had subsided. Boromir looked down at her, only to discover she was fast asleep.

"Should I wake her?" Boromir asked softly. Aragorn shook her head.

"Let the lady sleep," Legolas said.

"I have a feeling we wouldn't get much out of her, anyway," Aragorn said as Gimli went to put out the fire.

"Good thing we already planned on staying the night." Legolas pointed out, as the fire went out, and the camp was plunged into near-darkness. The light of the moon and the silver glow that glanced of the 'fuku' of the sleeping girl gave them just enough light to find comfortable spots. Boromir laid Serena down on the cot, careful of her wings, and pull a blanket up around her before taking up a defensive position beside her, leaning against the same tree had sat against earlier that night. As the night wore on, he never once took his eyes of her angelic, sleeping, tear-streaked face, all the while thinking…

__

"What cruel fate would bring such an innocent creature into the middle of so evil a struggle as ours?"

"Let me get this straight," Haruka was clearly going to great lengths to restrain her own anger. Michiru's hand on her elbow helped, it seemed, but not by much.

"You," She glared at Luna. "Decided to not only _not_ find a way to protect our Princess from having to relive the most painful day of _all_ our lives, but thought that a _sleepover_ would reassure her? Have any of you boneheads forgotten that once in a dream, you _forget it's a dream_???"

"The plan was for us to be there for her when she awoke!" Mina growled. Haruka snarled.

"When she awoke? In case you haven't noticed blondie, but she has yet to do that!"

"Hey, watch who you're calling blondie, blondie!" Mina fumed. Haruka growled, and Michiru's light, reassuring touch on her elbow shifted to grasp her partner's arm firmly, but gently.

"They had no idea this would happen, 'Ruka," Michiru said gently. "It's not their fault."

"Oh, so it never occurred to them that maybe, in her dream state –which she would not realize till she was awake was only a dream- that maybe, just maybe, the princess, while watching all her loved ones die, might _wish to be someplace else???_" Haruka was positively livid to say the least. "And on top of all that, when you drag us half way across the world to dump this on us and expect us to fix your blooper for you, **_you leave that eechi baka Seiya alone with her???_**"

"Told you she'd overreact," Raye muttered to Lita, whom was being restrained by Ami.

"Please, would everyone just cool it?" Hotaru said in exasperation. No one listened. The Senshi of Silence frowned as Lita tore herself loose of Ami's grasp and began shouting. Haruka shouted back. Raye joined in and verbally attacked Haruka. Michiru snapped back in defense of her counterpart. Ami responded in kind in defense of her own friend. Hotaru groaned.

"They'll never learn," A voice said with mild amusement.

"Is that an observation, Setsuna-mama, or a prediction?" Hotaru sighed as the tall, forest green haired woman with burgundy eyes stepped out of the shadows of the fire room of the Hikawa Shrine. The Guardian of Time smiled wryly.

"I'm not sure," She said. Hotaru groaned again. They exchanged looks, then, shaking their heads, they stuck two fingers in their mouths and each blew a sharp whistle, simultaneously.

"Owie!" Mina shrieked, clapping her hands over her ears. Haruka glared, Michiru seemed slightly put out, and her pose and expression resembled that of a indignant cat whom had forgot to look where she was going and had run into a door.

"Please, everyone," Hotaru pleaded. "This is getting us nowhere. As Ami said when we first all got here, we have no time to argue! We have got to put our petty differences aside! We can't rely on the Princess to _make_ us get along forever! Imagine how sad and upset she'd be if she could see us now!"

Everyone, even Haruka, blinked, then, after exchanging embarrassed and ashamed glances, they all nodded at once and thus came to a truce. Hotaru breathed a sigh of relief.

"To answer you're earlier…question, Haruka-san," Ami said, her usually polite voice slightly stiff even for her. "We did not call you here to 'dump our blooper on you and expect you to fix it.' In truth, we summoned you because we hoped that Setsuna would be with you, and if not, that you would know a way to contact her." She turned to Setsuna.

"Setsuna-sama," She said. "We have found a way to contact our Princess, but it requires going back in time up to one hundred billion years ago."

"_What_?" Haruka exclaimed. Michiru and Hotaru gasped.

"We believe that, somehow, the Princess's essence, soul, mind, being, whatever you want to call it, was pulled back one hundred billion years ago, where it formed an outer…crust, shall we say. Just as if one to take off earth's crust, the outer most layer of magna would simply form another one."

"So you're saying Koneko," Haruka asked, using her nickname for her Princess. "Is walking around on a pre-dinosaur Earth in a second body? A duplicate shell of the one she left here?"

"Yes, except that this second body is…temporary." Ami said after a moment.

"Excuse me?" Raye blinked. Ami sighed and rubbed her brow.

"Explain, please," Michiru said calmly. Ami nodded.

"I mean…" Ami sighed. "There's no way to sugar coat it," She said. "In less than a month of her time, Serena's 'second shell' will begin to deteriorate."

"What…what happens then?" Mina asked softly. Ami looked at her, then glanced at the Outers.

"It depends," The Senshi of Ice and Wisdom said slowly.

"On what?" Haruka snapped in annoyance. Ami frowned.

"It depends on whether or not at least three of us are there or not," She said. "If at least three of us are there, when the second shell begins to deteriorate, and her spirit is released, we can pass it through a narrow, very precise time portal of our own, directly to who whoever stays behind. They, the ones that will be on the receiving end of the time and space tunnel here in the present, could then guide Serena's 'core' back to its rightful body."

"And if we're not there…?" Hotaru pushed. Ami fixed her with a solemn look.

"Then she, along with her second body, will fade, and die." She said. Her tone left no room for argument and as much as they all hated it, it was the truth, pure and simple.

And it terrified them all more than anything.

****

To Be Continued…

*grumble mutter grumble* You guys are deliberately trying to make this as difficult for me as possible, aren't you? *shakes head in wry amusement* *sigh* No sooner do I promise the Legolas/Serena fans they'll get their Serena/Legolas, than the Darien/Serena fans rise up in protest. HELLO? Why didn't you people say something??? Oh, I'm not talking to those of you that read my story after I gave my word, but still….*laughs* Oh, I'm not mad. Just deeply amused…for some reason… ^^;

Anyhoo, to appease those of you that still desire a Serena/Darien, I shall, upon completion of WotR, begin work on another ficcie that has been buzzing around my tiny blonde brain for a while. And, mark my words (I've always wanted to say that. ^^)the pairing in that one will remain Serena and Darien as I promised **_Katcin Lee_** and a few others.

Now, as it was with Chapter Two and this Chapter three, I might be a bit slower in getting up chapters from now on because, as I have mentioned before, I am in the process of sorting my belongings and helping do the same with the possessions of the rest of my family in preperation of moving to a smaller house. Ya know, 'get rid of this, keep that, get rid of this, keep that, big garage sale, do it all over, pack what I wanna keep, ect, ect.'

So, all I ask is for patience! I know, I know, kinda hypocritical of me since patience is NOT one of my virtues, but, hey…

Anyhoo, hope you all enjoyed, and ja ne!

****

Hope Makes the Universe Shine,

__

Makura Koneko

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ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY


	5. Chapter Four: Story Time

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The Will of the Ring

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Chapter Four

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by Makura Koneko

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Big Thanks To:

**Sirithdiliel**

**saturnpyroprincess**

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Comechatcha 

cecilia 

Nicole 

**Butterfly**

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SS Silver AKA Silver Shadows 

**Shannan**

**Goddess-of-Light**

Lady Adako & LadyWatery 

**Liquid Ice**

Phoenix Wing Star

**DemonicCatGirl**

Lacrea 

Diodesa-Xiao-Lang-Sakura-Haruka-Yue

**star0704**

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Rizzy (Whadya mean by 'If I really care?' Why would I ask if I didn't?)

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Katrin

**Angellus Lee**

**Felicia Angel**

**umi**

**Fate's Child**

**Bunni V**

**The Kuro no Tenshi**

**Seregon**

**DT-chan**

Pyra 

**MoonGrlonearth**

**ChibiTenshi**

**Neko Megami**

**Orochi Shinji**

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NOTE:

First off, I wanna **super thank everyone who has provided tidbits regarding what happens in the Two Towers, and with Seiya's last name**.

Second, it has come to my attention (not through reviews, but by going to a site that has a list of things a lot of people hate in SM fanfics) that a lot of people don't like it when an author uses both the anime and manga names, like I have for the inners and the outers. I thought I'd mention that this wasn't done because I'm too lazy to remember them all, I just picked the name I liked best for that character, and I happen to prefer 'Ami' over 'Amy,' -and yes, there is a pronunciation difference (Amy = 'Aim-ee' / Ami = 'Aim-eye,' or something like that).

If this truly bugs you, I am truly sorry, but its one of my pet peeves to chance a characters name halfway through the story. Yes, I could go back and replace all 'Haruka' with 'Amara' and such and then repost the chapters, but, as I've said before, I'm in the process of moving, and I have precious enough time on the computer nowadays as it is, let alone the internet.

If it really annoys you, you can review/e-mail me and tell me so (politely, please. See 'SS Silver AKA Silver Shadows's review.) and I will make an attempt to make sure all names in my future fanfics line up accordingly. Ja! And thanks for not flaming me!

-**Makura**

And now…

**__**

Let the Myth Become Reality…

__

Serena felt warm…so very warm…but not uncomfortably so. Why was she so snugly warm?

She blinked and opened her eyes, then , with a gasp, shrieked. She leaped up, tripped over her own feet, and fell down again. Someone caught her. Boromir, she realized faintly, but she was too busy trying not to scream out of startled fright to really register it.

"Wh-what's going on???" Serena wailed, tears streaming down her face, eyes wide.

"Calm down and perhaps we will find out!" Gimli snapped. Serena looked at him, then, after taking a big breath and forcing herself to both breath and calm down, she sniffled and, pouting, stuck her tongue out at him before bit her lip against more wails. Boromir glared at Gimli a moment before pulling away from the girl slightly and examining her to make sure she was unhurt.

"I'm fine," She said, looking at herself. "Just reeeeally freaked out…" The glow faded, and with it, so did her clothes. But as the uniform faded, something else seemed to materialize in its place. When the glow had faded to a soft aura, Serena looked down at herself with a scowl as she picked at the milky moon-colored frothy fabric of the silky gown. The empire waist bodice was a breathtaking display of a masterpiece of gold embroidery. Golden beads, pearls, thread, links, loops and curls, all in the same silver/gold/silver as her hair was wrapped around her bosom, the multitude of cascading folds of milky, frothy moonstone colored silk cascaded down to tumble and froth all around her.

"I don't believe it…" Serena whispered.

"When you've seen all we've seen, there is very little that does not surprise us, lass," Gimli told her. "And if you plan on staying with us, I have a feeling it will become the same with you."

Serena looked at him and blanched.

"Why am I…less than comforted by that?" She squeaked. Legolas and Boromir laughed at Gimli's less than flattered expression.

Serena touched her gauzy skirt…each layer of the skirt was transparent and shone like stardust; there had to be several dozen layers of the frothy fabric to make the gown so fully and flowing and opaque.

Serena gasped as yet another spectacle appeared…

Tiny droplets of light materialized just above her head, and floated down to arrange themselves around her neck in the shape of a chain and small pendant. When it solidified, it was seen that the pendant was a smaller version of the brooch that had been on her chest when she'd been in the silver-white fuku.

The locket floated out before her, and, with an abrupt burst of magic, a beam of light soared up into the sky, diagonally, through a gap in the treetop canopy, they glimpsed another beam in the distance, rising to the sky to meet Serena's. They clashed, exploded, and melded together, exchanging twin bursts of energy. The pulse of energy from the other beam raced down Serena's, and, with a silent blast, engulfed the locket.

A ring…a transparent, hologram-type image of a ring that shone with an unnaturally flawless sheen materialized above Serena's locket. It rotated slowly, and as it did so, a flowing script began to appear in letters of flame red.

Serena gasped.

She recognized that writing! She recognized it from one of the dreams she'd had, one of the dreams where she remembered having a lesson as Princess Serenity…it was a lesson learning about languages that were remarkably similar to their native tongue, Silvan.

"The language of Mordor…" Serena whispered. Ignoring the shocked expressions on her companions, and Legolas's move to keep Gimli from saying something, she began to read.

"Ash nazg durbatuluk,  
ash nazg gimbatul,  
ash nazg thrakatuluk._-"_

(**AN**: BIG thanks to Teich7719 for providing me with the correct way to write the script on the ring in english!_ –**Makura**)_

"Be silent!" Legolas told her. "Do not utter that language here. Not so close to its home!" Serena blinked, then blushed.

"Oh." She said. "Sorry." She looked at it again, and read it to herself…how odd it sounded…

"The One Ring…" She murmured. As if her speaking its name triggered something, the transparent image of the One Ring began to descend. The locket, below it, opened, and that same lovely, frightening haunting song began to sing… Something was to happen… Serena's full attention became bent on the Ring merging with the Locket…there was something…something important she had to know…she just had to… It would show her, the Ring, against it's master's will, it would show her, but it couldn't…the bit of love that only she could detect, deep inside the Evil of the One Ring, could only be called out to tell her its secret with the help of her Locket…

"You'd better wake her up," Aragorn said, motioning to where Serena was sleeping as he pulled the remains of last night's dinner down from where it had been suspended in a tree to keep it out of the reach of midnight scavengers.

Legolas, the closest to her, reached over and shook her shoulder gently. Sometime during the night, the short skirt and bodice outfit had disappeared, leaving her in dark gold leggings and milky white, full sleeved blouse. There was a 'v' slit in the middle of the swooped neckline, and it was loosely laced up with thin cords that matched the color of her leggings. Her hair was still in its long braid, but it now somehow looked neater, cleaner.

She gave no sign of waking. Legolas frowned ever so slightly and shook her shoulder again…she moaned… And lashed out…

"Hey, now!" Legolas yelled, jerking back smoothly with flawless reflexes to avoid being smacked across the nose.

"What's this, our slumbering princess has an aggressive side?" Gimli said, clearly very amused at the elf prince's difficulty at waking a young human maiden. Legolas threw him a glance, his frown only in his eyes, then bent over to whisper in the girl's ear…

"Really? Where where?" Before any of them could blink, she was sitting up straight as rod, looking around expectantly. Legolas laughed. How amusing she was! A drop of sunshine and moonbeams in the middle of the turmoil that was their reality. He smiled and pulled a plate of rabbit meat and bread that he had saved her for breakfast.

"Yay!" She said, and devoured her breakfast in four large bites, hardly bothering to chew.

"Hey, that was yummy…" Serena said.

"I'm surprised she was even able to taste it before she inhaled it!" Gimli mumbled under his breath.

"What was it? Some sort of chicken?" She asked, but turned to once again examining her new attire before she received an answer. She sighed. "I really wish my clothes would decide what they wanted to be, already…this is getting annoying…an instant wardrobe is cool, but not if I don't get to pick the clothes."

"I wouldn't know," Boromir laughed as he passed her, ruffling her hair as he did so.

"Hey!" She protested. Legolas grinned slightly. Were anyone to walk in on them, they would think them on a fun camping trip, a vacation for a group of friends to get away. Legolas's smile dimmed.

"Why so glum elf?" Gimli said, coming up behind him. Legolas glanced to where Serena was trying to figure out how to roll up the bedroll so it, and the pack of leftover food Aragorn handed her, would fit into the small backpack. Legolas drew Gimli aside a bit.

"I am worried for her," The elf confessed. "The image of the pixie called her 'princess.' So I think it's safe to say that she has most likely never lifted a swore before in her life. She seems the stable sort, able to be sensible when the time calls for it, but… I say again, I am worried for her."

"As we all are, lad, but I think you most of all, elfs being relatives of Lunarians –as I believe there is no doubt that she somehow is- should know that she is capable of taking care of herself." They both looked over at the golden haired girl just as she was struggling to link the clasps of the backpack. She, her tongue peeking out from the corner of her pert lips, her face fixed in determination, gave a screech as her hand slipped, the clasp snapped, and the contents of the pack went flying as she tripped over her own feet and fell backwards on her behind.

"Well…" Gimli muttered. "She did bring Boromir back to life. If nothing else I believe she should be able to defend herself with that sorcery of hers."

"Nevertheless, Legolas is right," Boromir said, having read their lips from his place across the clearing, an ability he'd developed as a boy. He had made sure Serena was all right, before joining them. "Someone should be with her at all times, and next time we stop, someone should teach her to use at least a short sword."

"But we have no weapons to spare," Legolas pointed out.

"She is a sorceress," Gimli grumped. "I'm sure she can conjure up something for herself."

"Aie!" Came an exclamation of triumph. Serena bounded to her feet, leaned over and grabbed the strap of her pack, and slung it over her shoulder, a large grin on her face-

The other clasp snapped, one of the seams of the pack ripped, and the contents went tumbling once more. Serena's face fell as she looked at the torn remains of the pack and the scattered items. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she sniffed.

"There, there, lass," Gimli told her. "At least you found a way to fix the broken clasp."

"It's a knot Darien showed me," She sniffed. Sorrow passed over her eyes once more, and the tears came faster and in higher numbers.

"This Darien, you've mentioned him often. Is he your betrothed?" Aragorn inquired as he and Gimli knelt to pick up the scattered objects. Legolas pulled a kit of needles and threads out of one of the packs, and handed it to Serena, who looked at the items blankly before addressing Aragorn's question with a forced blank look on her face.

"N-no," She said softly as she blinked away tears. She held her left hand to her chest. "We were engaged, but…he…he- AIEE!!!" She screeched like a banshee, dropping the needle and thread to examine her hand.

"It's gone!" She cried.

"What is?" Legolas asked the question that was on all their minds as he picked up the needle and thread.

"My ring! My engagement ring that Darien gave me!" She began to panic. "We have to go back!" She cried. "We have to find it!"

"We cannot go back," Aragorn told her with a voice that was not to be questioned. Serena ignored the tone.

"Why not?!" She cried. "That ring is important to me!"

"More important than two lives?" Legolas asked her. Serena blinked, startled.

"Wh-what?" She said, her tears halting. The elf, dwarf, and two humans exchanged glances.

Boromir glanced up at the sun through the trees. "We'll explain it," He told her. "But we should get a move on, and we'll tell you on the way." He looked to Aragorn, who nodded. Within moments, the rip in the pack was stitched and packed, once Serena had used the knot to tie the pack closed after Boromir had showed her how to roll the bedroll and tie up the food wrap so that it all fit just fine, without stretching the seams. Serena, surprising even herself, firmly made herself commit every twist and fold to memory. 

Serena –more carefully this time- slung the pack over her shoulder without being asked or told to, and she turned to Aragorn with a bright smile on her face.

"Lead the way!" She chirped cheerfully. She hoped around to face Boromir and stuck a finger at his chest. "And you, mister, get to the story telling!" Without missing a beat, she hoped around again and gave Legolas a push on the back. "C'mon, c'mon, lets go, lets go, we're burning daylight! I don't know who these two people are that you claim to be in such a hurry to rescue, but they certainly aren't getting any farther from their doom with us standing around! Come on already!"

"As her highness wishes!" Gimli laughed. "Onward, to hunt some Orc and rescue the halflings!"

"Yeah, what he said!" Serena grinned, and bounded off into the general direction they were all facing, followed closing by Gimli.

"Whatever happened to, 'lead the way?'" Legolas raised an eyebrow at Aragorn, whom only shook his head in amusement as Boromir, laughing full out without restraint, followed after the golden haired daughter of a pixie.

"Oh…" Was all Serena could utter. The story she'd just heard…why did it sound so familiar? Her water canteen in hand, halfway to her mouth, stopped its ascent as a memory bombarded her…

"So now you understand our haste," Boromir told her. She nodded, her face slightly pale, a shocked, thoughtful expression on her face. From the way she wore that particular expression, Legolas, watching out of the corner of his eye, thought it was probably a look she did not display often.

"What's the matter, butterfly?" Gimli asked. "Frightened? Don't worry. Dwarves are known for their protectiveness, and you have my word that you could not be in more protective company."

"For once, the dwarf does not exaggerate, lady," Legolas told her with a smile as he helped her down from the boulder that they were all in the process of climbing over.

"I'm sure he doesn't," Serena said, in slightly distracted voice.

"What is it that troubles you?" Boromir asked as he jumped down from the top of the boulder.

"Show off." Gimli grumbled as he marched passed, referring to Boromir's flawless jump. Serena giggled, but a look from Boromir told her she wouldn't distract him from his question that easily.

"I…" Serena bit her lip and stopped, and leaned against the boulder. The rest of the half-fellowship stopped and looked at her, surrounding her in a loose, protective rather than cornering, half circle.

"It's just…" Serena fidgeted. "I think, judging from your story, I think I might know…where I am, and…and maybe even why I'm here…"

"Which brings us to the many things we've been meaning to ask you since you found us." Boromir said.

"We should talk while we continue our journey." Gimli said, pointing to the fading Orc tracks.

"That we should." Aragorn agreed, pushing away from the tree he was leaning against. He held out a hand to Serena, who took it and used it to pull herself away from the boulder. Without meaning to, all four warriors formed a sort of guard all around her; Aragorn in front, Gimli to the back, Legolas to her right and Boromir on her left.

"Hey!" Serena suddenly exclaimed as Boromir opened his mouth to ask his first question. He closed it with a wry grin. "What?" He asked. Serena grinned brightly.

"Time for a road game!" She said.

"A what?" Gimli's voice boomed from behind her. Serena flashed him a brilliant smile over her shoulder.

"A road game!" She said. "A game you play while on the move! In this one, since I still have some questions myself, we take turns asking and answering questions. Each of you all ask me one question, I answer them, then I ask each one of you a question, and you have to answer. Sound good?"

"It does sound rather amusing," Legolas said, grinning slightly, more amused than he had been in…longer than he could remember. There had to be a rule about a perilous quest to save two Hobbits from Orcs being…enjoyable, he thought.

"That it does," Aragorn laughed lightly, more so than anyone present had ever heard him. Serena beamed.

"Great!" She said. "Since you guys already told me all about Frodo and the Ring and stuff, you guys go first. And take turns asking me questions! No interrupting! We'll go clockwise, starting with Boromir." She looked to the aforementioned Lord expectantly, and he shook his head, laughing; her cheerfulness was infectious.

"Very well," He said. He thought for a moment. "Tell us about your family."

"Which one?" She asked. Boromir looked at her with slight surprise.

"All of them, I suppose, if you have more than one…"

"Okay!" She chirped. "First off, about…oh…actually, if I'm right about when and where I am, right about now on the Moon is my mother, and my cousin Mina. There really my only family from my time as Princess Serenity-"

"Princess Serenity?" Legolas cut in. Serena waved her had dismissively.

"Don't interrupt, I'll get to that in a minute," She said. "Now, like I was saying, my mother and Mina were really my only family during the Silver Millennium –except for Luna, who is like an aunt to me- since my mother didn't have any siblings and neither did I. Plus I never knew who my father was. I think he was human though. Or at least on Earth, because my mother was always looking at earth.

"Now, as for my current family, now there's a lot more to tell. There's my mother, Ilene, and my father, Ken –who is the most annoyingly protective father on the planet, might I add- and Sammy –who makes dad look like a laid-back leave-me-alone sort of person in the annoyance department. 

"Mom is super cool. She bakes me brownies and takes me shopping, and is always stepping in when Dad starts going on one of his 'my little girl' rants. Although when it comes to school…ugh, she's a worse nag than Luna! Now Daddy…" She continued on about her family with such rapid fire speed that it took nearly all the concentration of the warriors surrounding her to be able to keep up with her words.

"And that's my family," She said with a bright smile a few moments later, in which she had covered the entire story of how her parents met, married, as well as all her most significant memories from bother her own and Sammy's childhood.

"Hey, you were gonna ask me about being Serenity, right?" Serena asked Legolas. He nodded, and opened his mouth to repeat the-

"Sorry!" Serena said brightly. "But it's Aragorn's turn to ask a question!" Gimli laughed, and had he been any less poised or self-controlled, one might have sworn they saw Legolas's eyebrow twitch…

Aragorn, for one, was glad his back was to the group, so they would not see the deeply amused look on his face.

"Well, Ari?" Serena asked him. He blanched at the nickname, and almost stumbled. Now it was Legolas's turn to laugh along with Gimli and Boromir. Serena, he saw when he glanced over his shoulder, was looking perfectly innocent as she looked at him with wide sparkling sapphire eyes.

Grumbling under his breath to suppress a grin, Aragorn turned his back to them and resumed walking once more as he quickly thought of a question to change the subject…

"What of your home?" He asked her. "What is it like where you come from?"

"Oh, it's super great!" She said like a village girl getting her first pair of silk hair ribbons. "We have an arcade that's only ten minutes from my house, and this super beautiful shrine that my best friend Raye's grandfather owns, and she's a priestess in training there, too, and my school is only a fifteen minute walk- well, actually run. I don't know how long it takes to get there when you walk. I never have. I always run…"

"Always late, are you?" Boromir teased. Serena pouted.

"I'm not always late!" She argued. "Just…" She fidgeted. "A lot of the time…"

"Then why do you always run?" Legolas asked. Serena made a blank face.

"Er…cause I like exercise?" She said with slight squeak. She frowned. "And hey! No asking questions out of turn!" She said in a scolding tone, mock-glaring at both Legolas and Boromir. They laughed, and Serena grinned.

"So I take it you love your homeland, am I right?" Gimli asked. "And that doesn't count as my question!"

"Yes it does, but I'll forgive you anyways!" Serena said, throwing him a wink and a smile over her shoulder. "And yes, I do love my home. Not just my howetown, or my homeland, but I love my planet. I guess you could say I've even died to protect it, a few times."

"_Died_ to protect it?" Legolas raised an eyebrow. She giggled.

"Yup," She said with a wink. "Which brings us to your question, about my being Princess Serenity, right, Leggie?" Again, Gimli laughed, Boromir carefully kept his expression blank, and up ahead, Aragorn choked.

__

The one person that ever calls me anything even remotely like that has to be the one person I would let get away with it, Legolas thought with dismayed amusement, though outwardly, he was sorely tempted to drop his elf-composure and send poisonous glares in every direction.

"What?" Serena asked, wide eyed, innocent faced once more. Legolas only shook his head.

"To answer your question," He said in an attempt to draw attention away from his new…nickname. "Yes, my question about your being this 'Princess Serenity' remains."

Serena sighed, and her eyes fell slightly, almost as if she'd been hoping that she'd be able to avoid that particular subject. She assumed a surprisingly regal and majestic, solemn voice that surprised them all.

"In my time, it was hundreds of millions of years ago," She said. "In some legends, it the numbers of zeros after the one had gotten confused, and had been reduced to a mere thousand years. When in reality my tale of my life as Princess of the Moon goes back before even the time of the creatures that we, in my time, now know as dinosaurs."

"Dinosaurs?"

"Think a veeeeeeery large variety of big, scary lizards. They all died out about 65 million years ago, according to the time I come from."

"Your time? You mean to say you're from the future?" Gimli rumbled. Serena looked slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm pretty sure." She admitted after a moment.

"How far?" Boromir asked. Again she looked uncomfortable.

"At least 65 million, I can tell you that much. But besides that, I have no idea." She sighed. "Ami-chan would be able to tell you…" She shook herself. "But anyways, what I was saying was that a l_ooooo_ng time before my time, when I come from, there was this _huge_ alliance of planets and kingdoms and realms and empires, all bound together in what was called the Silver Alliance. It lasted for it's other name; a millennium, so we, now, duh, call it the Silver Millennium."

Legolas and Boromir, across from each other, exchanged glances.

"Anyhoo, this was all put together by my maternal Grandmother, Queen Selene. Her daughter, Princess Selenity, was my mother, who was _Queen_ Selenity by the time I was one year old. I was named Princess Serenity, after my mother, by my father, whom I never knew."

"Did you know nothing about him?" Boromir asked.

"Nu-uh," Serena shook her head. "Nothing for sure. I mean, I guessed he was from Earth, since mama was always looking at the earth with this…really weird look on her face. Like she really regretted something she'd done down here. Or like she was expecting it to explode at any moment, or turn black or something. Kinda funny…I think she watched it because she was afraid of my father, but it sure wasn't my father that came from earth to attack us."

"Attack?"

'I'm getting there," Serena said flippantly. "Anwayz, I was born, and the daughters of my mother's royal guard -whom were the younger sisters of the queens of the Nine Planetary Empires- swore themselves to me to protect me and serve me until I dismissed them –which I legally couldn't do until I was either super ancient or married and in dowager.

"So, here I am, Princess of this huge collection of Empires, literally the heir of the Queen of the Galaxy, and the sole heiress to the Silver Crystal, the most powerful object in the Universe, and all I could ever do was stare at the Earth. You would not believe the teasing I got from my Senshi."

"Senshi means warrior, does it not?" Boromir asked. Serena blinked at him.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"There are a few dialects here that are similar to what you were speaking," Legolas told her. "When we couldn't understand you." Presently, they came to a bridge that crossed a deep gorge. Serena gulped, and renewed her story telling to distract her from the sight of the dark depths below.

"Ah, okay," She said. "Anywayz, there was this one time I got fed up with my mother not giving me any answers. She wouldn't talk about the Earth at all. So I didn't know if it was desert, or if it was like the moon, or if it was cold or hot or what. Plus I wanted to find out about my father. So, my friend Mars helped me sneak out of the main palace and down to one of the minor transportation rooms. I transport myself down to earth, end up in this beautiful garden beside this really lovely palace, with these two tall white towers…" She became lost in memory for a moment, then she glanced down again, swallowed, and continued quickly.

"So anyway, I'm kinda dumbfounded for a minute, then I hear someone coming…" She swallowed thickly. "I hide behind a tree…and then _he_ comes along." She sighed, a heavy sadness in her voice that surprised all present. Legolas, ahead of her, gave her a hand down off the bridge, and he glimpsed a heavy heart through the windows that was her eyes. She sniffed.

"Sorry…" She said. "It's just…I miss him so much…" While they all greatly desired to inquire as to who this 'him' was, none were blind to the great pain it caused her.

"It's alright," Legolas told her kindly. "You can finish your tale later." 

Serena blinked up at him, gratitude on he features, before she engulfed him in a tight bearhug.

"Thanks," She sniffed, wiping her eyes. Legolas, on a bit of a whim that surprised even himself, gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze. She smiled up at him, the sunniness beginning to come back, before she hugged him full around his torso one last time before bouncing ahead.

"Gimli!" She grinned as if she'd never shed a tear in her life, let alone several a few moments ago. "You're turn!"

Gimli was very aware he could ask the question that was foremost on all their minds; who is this 'Darien/Endymion?' But, despite being who he was, he did have a bit of a soft spot for the sunny girl whom he had affectionately nicknamed 'butterfly' and decided to ask a different inquirery. He thought for a moment, then…

"Tell us about your friends, maiden," He told her. "Are they all sorceresses, like you?"

"Sorceresses?" Serena blinked.

"Magic," Legolas told her. "Can they use magic, like you did with that locket." He flicked a finger at the golden, heart shaped locket with the upturned silver crescent moon on it, at her throat.

"Oh, yeah!" Serena said brightly. "Well, only Mina, Ami, Raye, Lita, Haruka, Setsuna, Hotaru, Michiru, Seiya, Yaten, Taiki… Andrew, Molly, Marina, Chelsey, and Melvin are all normal though." She said, then frowned. "Wait, take that back. Melvin is too geeky and freaky to be normal.

"Um…lets see… Well, Mina's a lot like me. She was my cousin in the Silver Millennium we think. She was Princess Minako, of Venus, and the leader of my Inner Court. My Inner Court was also my guard, my Senshi. Well, the Inner Senshi, anyways. There's two parts; the Inners, and the Outers. The Inners, who were also my Court, are Mina, who is Venus, was the leader, Ami is Sailor Mercury –she is sooooo smart!- and Raye is Sailor Mars. She can be soooo mean!" She pouted for a moment. "But I love her anyways, and she can see the future, sometimes, which is super cool, and sometimes gives us a headsup when there's a fight coming up.

"And then there's Lita, who is Sailor Jupiter. Man, can she kick butt! That's how we met, actually. I got cornered by some street gang jerkazoids, and she came along and whooped all four of them!

"Now, the Outers are Haruka, Michiru –they have a relationship, but they refuse to actually confirm what type it is; I think they like keeping us slightly unsure. There's also Setsuna, and Hotaru, who was raised by Haruka and Michiru and Setsuna. Haruka is Sailor Uranus, and she's…well, she's up there with Jupiter on the kick butt-o-meter, but she's got a long way to go before she knows the difference between passion and compassion." She shook her head. "Now there's Michiru, who is a real lady. She's graceful, and beautiful, and elegant, and talented…anyway, she's Sailor Neptune, guardian of the sea." She grinned. "I always liked how that sounded 'guardian of the sea.'" She giggled. "Anyhoo, then there's Hotaru, who's the youngest of us all. She's only thirteen, but her power is as humongo as mine, only it's the opposite as mine. See, my power is to create/heal/cleanse, ect. Hotaru's power…well, lets just say there's a reason she's called the Senshi of Silence and Destruction."

"Such a horrible power, all within a child?" Gimli rumbled.

"She can control it," Serena said. "And besides, who says that destructive power can't be turned towards something that deserves to be destroyed?" She added impishly. Before anyone could reply, she continued. "And last, but not least, is Setsuna. She's super mysterious, and probably the only one that knows where I am, since she's the guardian of time. Her age is…well, no one knows how old she is."

"Then she must be immortal," Aragorn said.

  
"Oh yeah, well, that goes without saying," Serena said. "Since we're all immortal. It's part of the Senshi gig."

"'Gig?'" Boromir echoed, still struggling with the idea of the golden girl beside him being as old as Legolas or more.

Serena cleared her throat, and drew herself up into what was meant to be an imitation of a pompous salesman.

"That's right ladies, and gents," She began in a booming, cheesy voice. "If you're an heir to one of the Nine Planetary Kingdoms, you can get a nifty transformation wand/brooch that allows you to turn into a flashy warrior in a tight leotard and tu-tu and high heels. You can also get flashy attacks with frilly, verbally activated names with which you can blast any sort of icky negasleez back to the negaverse, or, if you choice, back to the Negamoon, DeadMoon, or DeathDimension.

"But that's not all! You also get daily doses of near-death experiences, lying to your parents 101 –on the job training!- advanced healing abilities, forged medical records to hide those advanced healing abilities, high metabolism, heightened sensory perception," She winked at them. "I learned that phrase from Ami-chan," She said before continuing. The four remaining members of the Fellowship exchanged amused glances. It was indeed a rather odd sort of explanation she had chosen to give in order to explain what being a 'Sailor Senshi' entitled.

"But, once again, that's not all!" She cried. "Along with all this, you get to literally save the universe on a six-month regular basis, several power upgrades –you got your normal Senshi, your Super Senshi, you Star Senshi, and your Eternal Senshi!- but to top it all off, you get…immortality! Yup, that's right folks; Ya die, your princess brings you back. What if you're the princess, you ask? Well, then you get to be a life-death yo-yo for some big intergalactic yo-yo-er!"

By the time she was finished, her voice had become slightly…less than enthusiastic.

"I take it you do not enjoy being a…Senshi?" Legolas asked, exchanging a glance with Gimli; the dwarf had been right. Apparently the girl would have a few abilities of self-defense of the magical genre.

"Oh, it has its perks," She said. "And I'd rather be a Senshi then sit back and watch my friends risk their necks for me and our home every week. And it's better than letting the worth be taken over by an endless string of greedy dark-sleeze…"

"So you have defended your home from numerous attacks?" Aragorn asked. Serena snorted most uncharacteristically.

"Almost every day, some weeks," She said. "Though the worst parts about most of those fights is worrying about civilians or paparatzzis, or newspaper reporters, making sure they don't get hurt. But…the big fights…the fights that, almost every single time I end up either dead or at death's door…yeah, we've had some of those." She began to count off her fingers. "There was Beryl and the Nega-Generals, Ann and Alen –who actually turned out to be okay, just mislead. Then there was…" She took a good half an hour to explain and retell each major enemy.

"But hey," She said when she was finished. "I thought the question was about my friends?" Without waiting, she launched into telling them about her Non-Senshi friends, taking a few moments to explain the Molly/Nephlite scenario.

It was nearing dusk before she had finished that, but she was still animated and beaming brightly.

"Okies, you've each asked a question, so now it's my turn!" She chirped. She furrowed her brow, an adorably thoughtful look on her face. "I know!" She said brightly, clasping her hands together like an eager schoolgirl. She looked at Legolas, beaming brightly.

"How many girlfriends have you had?" She asked with an innocently shinning look on her face. Legolas stumbled in a most un-ef-like fashion.

"P-pardon?" He asked as Gimli roared with laughter, and once again Boromir and Aragorn were suddenly found coughing and choking rather suspiciously, whether at the question, or at the mere fact that it had caught him so off guard, was unclear.

"What?" Serena asked, blinking wide, non-comprehending eyes. "What did I say?"

The remaining members of the Fellowship only shook their heads.

****

To Be Continued…


	6. Chapter Five: Unwilling to Stay

****

The Will of the Ring

****

Chapter Five

__

by Makura Koneko

**Big Thanks to:**

**empress blade**

Tsuki no Tenshi 

**HikariTsuki**(*bawls* You are sooooooooo sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Hugglezhugglezhugglezhugglez*)

****

Clear 

Usagi_1313 (Thanks for point out my Selenity/Mina/Serena family blooper! Hopefully no one else will notice till I find the time to fix it and repost that part…*sweatdrop*)

**lilmakochan**

Achicagoil 

KC 

**Phoenix Wing Star**

Crystania Rayne Sunsets (I LOVE your screename!!!!! And I'll do my best to get them out before your exams, but I can't make any promises!!!)

**sailorbardock1980**

SS Silver AKA Silver Shadows 

**Shannan**

**Be'Jammin**

Celes 

Rinavariel 

**DT-chan**

**saturnpyroprincess**

**ChibiTenshi**

Byrd-chan (ß My Onii-chan!!! Everybody say hi to my big Bro!!!!)

**Goddess-of-Light**

sailorruss 

**Butterfly**

Maria

**__**

Let the Myth turn to Legend, and Legend into History…

__

Amazing**,** was all Legolas could think with mild amusement. They, four hardened warriors, were weary from walking nonstop all day long –they'd eaten and drank while walking- and yet this tiny slip of a girl that looked like she'd never even lifted a sword was still bouncing and grinning, even though it was well into the evening. And although she had whined consistently, and chattered longer and faster than a squirrel, her strength and energy never seemed to falter, not once. Her balance, however…

As if taking her cue from the elf prince's thoughts, Serena, with a shriek, tripped over something that, upon closer inspection, seemed to have picked itself up and moved the moment it had been tripped on.

Immediately all four of the, even Gimli made a move to help her up.

"I'm okay, I'm okay!" Serena said, bouncing back to her feet and brushing herself off before any of the four warriors could reach her. Legolas's lips quirked slightly as he backed off, still keeping an eye on the proven klutzy blonde. For klutzy she was, for all her tendency to simply bounce back. This, 'bouncing back' was one of the two constant reactions to her frequent tumbles. The other was a loud, wailing screech that could have woken the dead. The second, however, never came again after Boromir had stepped forward and clamped a hand over her mouth and told her they did not know how far ahead the Orcs and the Hobbits were. She'd blushed, and since then her outbursts, while usually just as energetic, were much quieter.

"We stop here," Aragorn said, turning away from their destination and leading them to a hidden cave behind a multitude of thorny bushes and dense shrubbery. Only a very small, precise tunnel through the thick greenery allowed them to enter the cave unscathed. Serena, however, manage to somehow ensnare her braid in one of the overhead branches. Gimli had offered to just chop off the braid and be done with it, but a shrieking wail –silenced by Legolas's hand over her mouth- had been a definite no.

"We can't leave any trace that we've been here," Aragorn said. "Undo the braid if you have to. And make sure none of her hairs are left behind." The man seemed to have an endless patience. Serena sniffed as Legolas and Boromir worked to untangle her hair.

"Raye would have yelled," She said softly after a moment of contemplating Aragorn's lack of anger at her blundering.

"The fiery senshi?" Boromir asked. She sniffed and nodded, then bit back a yelp from the pain it caused her scalp.

"Mina would be grinning, like she found this all really funny while she did what you guys are doing," She added. "Ami would be trying to calm Raye down…and Lita would be keeping an eye out, making sure no one snuck up on us…" She sniffed.

"You miss them," Legolas observed. She made a little 'uh-huh' noise, not daring to nod again. Just then, success was had, and Serena's braid was released. Unfortunately, so was the band holding the braid secure. It fell away, and her hair unraveled from it's braid, tumbling around her in a multitude of shimmering silver-gold cascading tresses.

"Oh, phoey," Serena grumbled. Legolas and Boromir exchanged looks, then, grinning slightly, Legolas helped her lift her locks so that they would not tread dirt, and they ducked into the cave while Boromir, per Aragorn's instructions, searched for stray hairs that might give away that they'd been here.

In a way, Setsuna's agreeing to allow four –no more, no less- Sailor Senshi to make a journey through her Gate to one hundred billion years into the past was reassuring for more than one reason. The first of which, obviously, being that they now had hope of saving their Princess. But the second, was that Setsuna's allowing, and assisting, them to do so meant that Serena had been meant to go back in time, and that they had been meant to go back and save her. This had to be so, else Setsuna, as much as it would have killed her, never would have allowed any of them to interfere with Serena's doings in the past.

Preparation to make a journey to the past was more troublesome than expected. They had no way of knowing if they'd be able to transform that far into the past, and Setsuna wouldn't tell them aye or nay.

(**AN**: _'Yes' or 'no' for those of you unfamiliar with old english_.)

They assumed that, so far into the past, humans would be scarce, if existent at all. Luna had admitted that no one really knew how long ago the Silver Millennium existed, and so for all they knew they could very well end up on the day of the births of their past selves! 

But, without Setsuna providing more detailed hints than she already had, there was little they could do to prepare for that particular peril. But, other details however, were much easier to address…or so they thought…

It took a whole day and a very long meeting, and several interventions on Setsuna and Hotaru and Ami's part to prevent a mini Senshi Riot, but eventually it was decided what they would bring on such a perilous journey. The actual packing and putting-together-of-the-packs was done at yet another meeting, to which each person brought their assigned articles –nonperishable food, sturdy/warm blankets, light tools which would make shelters building easier, matches, communication devices, ect.- to be sorted and packed into top-of-the-line camping packs, provided by Mina.

Once that was done, in the cover of Lita's apartment so as they could all continue to monitor and keep an eye on the still slumbering Serena, there was one last thing to discuss…

Which four of the nine planetary Senshi would go back in time to save their Princess.

"You guys have done plenty." Haruka snarled at the Inners the moment the subject came up, clenching her fists at her sides as she leaned against the doorway to the entrance of Lita's bedroom, where Serena still lay asleep, Haruka ever keeping an eye on her charge.

"The Outers will take over from here," Michiru stood up after clasping closed the last pack, grouped with the rest of the packs in the corner of the room and went to stand beside her partner. She was with Haruka on this matter. While she didn't doubt the Inner's ability, fact was that they were still young. "Your duty is to this Earth," She added.

"Yes, it is," Ami said. "But it is also to Serena first and foremost."

"And in case you've forgotten to count," Mina snipped. "There's only four of you, even with Setsuna."

"We only need three to guide the Princess's spirit back to her rightful body," Michiru said with a glance to Setsuna.

"Four will go, four will stay," Setsuna said. Her voice was soft, but completely and one hundred percent unquestionable. "And I have done all I can to help," Setsuna said then. "My place from here on is at my Gate, once this meeting is done and over with."

"Then I have a feeling you're gonna be here a while," Raye, sitting beside Setsuna on the couch, muttered under her breath. Hotaru, sitting on the floor beside Setsuna's legs, threw her a glance and sighed.

"You guys do realize that the longer we argue, the worse Serena gets?" Lita said.

"This is time we're traveling across, not space," Haruka snapped. "We can transport ourselves to the exact moment she arrived in the past. For once, time is on our side."

"And, tell me, Ms. Ten'ou, have you and your Outers the teleportation experience to nail so specific a moment in history?" Ami asked, lifting an eyebrow. The Inners smirked. This was the one thing they had –power and experience wise- over the Outers. The Outers, them numbering only four, even with Setsuna, could barely teleport at all without the Inners, let alone manage to aim for specific place/time and actually hit their mark.

"I think it is at least fair, not to mention a good idea, that at least one of the Outers goes." Michiru said.

"If that's the case, then lets consider it settled that at least two of the four to go will be an Inner and Outer." Ami said firmly.

"Then we should probably pick those two now," Lita said, coming into the room from the kitchen, having been listening through the 'window' in the wall that separated the two domains with surprising silence. In her hand was eight toothpicks. As she entered, she pulled out two and tossed them aside into a wastebasket.

"Then, after we pick the representatives of each Senshi group, we each take a straw. Long ones go, short ones stay and defend the Universe." Lita held out her fist. It only took a moment of glancing at each other for all nine Senshi to come to an agreement that this was, at the moment, the most sensible and least time consuming solution to their dilemma. 

"I'm going for the Ou-"

"No, Haruka-papa," Hotaru cut off her 'parent' with a surprising firmness in her voice. "As Setsuna-mama pointed out, we have no way of knowing whether or not our powers will work so far back in time. At least, we don't know if yours will. My powers however, Silence, Death, and Destruction, are eternal, and have been in existence as long as time itself, just as Serena's powers, Life, Purity, and Light has. There is no question regarding whether or not my powers will work or not. Therefore, I think I can safely claim that I should be going."

"Shortie has a point." Mina said with a sigh and an affectionate ruffle of the younger girl's hair, which was an easy task to execute from her position in a chair beside the couch that Hotaru was sitting on the floor in front of.

"Absolutely not!" Haruka sputtered. "First Koneko-chan gets trapped in the past, and you expect me to let Firefly go, too???"

"She has made a valid note obvious," Ami said, unabashed by Haruka's scathing glare.

"I'm not happy with it, either, love," Michiru sighed. "But, I'm afraid I must agree with Ami and Hotaru-chan. Hotaru's powers are indisputably the only powers we can count on working so far back into the past."

"Why are we so worried about whether or not our powers will work, anyway?" Haruka grumbled.

"Because we don't know for sure if our powers come form ourselves, Serena, some eternal force, or from something physical, here, existing from at least the Silver Millennium till now," Raye snapped. "And if that last option is the case, then we have no way of knowing if the source of our Senshi Powers exist one hundred billion years into the past! We're not even positive if Earth even existed that far back! It's just scientific guesses!"

"Enough." Setsuna's voice cut through it all. "Everyone in favor of Hotaru's going for facts, not personal wants, raise your hand." Slowly, every hand raised, even Haruka's, once she managed to put her personal feelings aside and admitted to herself that her 'daughter' had a point.

"So, Hotaru shall be representing the Outers," Setsuna said with a tone that stated clearly that this particular subject was closed. "Inners? Discuss whom of you shall go."

It took but a few exchanged glances and nods to decide.

"Normally I would be the one to go." Mina said, with more responsibility in her voice than she had let it in years…not since her loner days of Sailor V. No, before then, even, when she had been the Leader of the Inner Senshi, in the days of the Silver Millennium.

"I hear a 'but' coming along," Michiru said gently. Mina nodded and looked to Ami, who looked more than a little nervous, though she did her best to hide it.

"Setsuna can handle the details of setting up the receiving end of the portal that we will pass Serena's spirit through, here, right now, once we leave." Ami said. "But someone needs to be with Serena's second shell when it deteriorates to apply the proper calculations to the sending end of the portal."

"And that someone has to be you." Michiru nodded. Ami nodded as well.

"Can't you just write down the directions or something?" Raye asked. Ami shook her head.

"I can't take a chance." Ami held up a hand at Raye's indignant face and opened, about-to-snap-something-harsh mouth. "I don't doubt any of you would mess it up, but something could go wrong, my calculations could be incorrect. We won't know till I'm actually right next to where whether or not my calculations are accurate."

"You see why Ami has to be the one to go," Mina said, every bit the leader she was once been, the leader she was grateful she so rarely had to be nowdays. How she envied Serena's ability to inspire obedience so easily, when she actually tried…

"So you have agreed?" Setsuna asked. All the Inners nodded in sync.

"Then lets pick," Lita said, presenting her fist once more. One by one, each Senshi stepped forward to slid a single straw from the handful until only one was left. Lita kept that one for herself.

"Okay, ladies, as I said before, long ones go, short ones stay." Lita said.

"Moment of truth," Raye murmured. Then, louder. "On three, we all look hold ours up." Her tone dared anyone to argue. For once, no one did.

"One…" Hotaru started.

"Two…" Ami continued.

"Three." Setsuna noted with amusement the nervous quickness that each presented their straw with. Shoulders and heads fell, while others rose with elation and acceptance of the responsibility.

"It is decided," Setsuna said. And indeed, if it hadn't already been so, her tone made it so. She stood. "You are ready?" Those that had chosen the long sticks nodded and stood also, along with Hotaru and Ami.

"Then 'tis time."

"No pun intended, of course," Mina's lips quirked, and even Setsuna was hard pressed to hide a bit of a twinkle in her eyes. 

With no fanfare of wind or glitter, the Time Staff faded into existence Setsuna's grasp. "Are you ready?" Setsuna asked them. Ami and Hotaru nodded, along with Raye and Haruka –whom was somehow managing to grin smugly even through the deadly serious look on her face- nodded solemnly.

"Then join hands," She said. "We have not much more time to waste." Hotaru pulled out her transformation wand, but Setsuna shook her head. "No," She said. "With such a massive leap, the powers you will radiate while transformed will interfere. The ride will be bumpier," She warned. "But it is necessary." 

Setsuna looked to those whom would stay behind. Understanding, Lita, Michiru, and Mina stepped forward, transforming with three cries of power and flurries of light as they did so. When the light faded, Sailor Venus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Jupiter put their hands on Setsuna's shoulders, closed their eyes, and began to glow their respective colors as Ami, Haruka, Raye, and Hotaru joined hands…

"This looks like a good spot, eh Frodo?" Sam asked, forcing his voice to sound the slightest bit optimistic, which was a world more optimistic than he actually felt.

"It looks as good as any, Sam," Frodo sighed, collapsing against a boulder that was inside the cave they'd opted to stay in for the night. He glanced outside of the cave; there, in the distance, Mount Doom was visible. As Sam set about making a fire with what flammable objects lay around, Frodo's mind drifted to the night before, when the oddest dream he'd ever imagined had plagued his sleep…

**__**

Flashback!

__

He awoke to find the One Ring, on a chain about his neck, glowing, warm, and generating a beam of silver-gold light that lanced upwards into the sky to meet another beam of light, one that came from the general direction of where he and Sam had left the Fellowship.

He seemed oddly awake, although, after a brief thought, he surmised that it actually wasn't all that odd; he and Sam, when they did sleep, were always warily hovering before the surface of the waking world.

The ends of the joined beams, one coming from the One Ring, the other from who knew where, seemed to exchange identical pulses of energy. The sphere of light that had come from the other beam raced down the beam that came from the One Ring…down towards Frodo… His eyes widened, but like so many other times before, frozen with something akin to fear, he couldn't even bring himself to cry out…

The pulse of light, as big as he was, engulfed him. His entire body, flooded with the potent light, was thrown into a thrall of something somewhere between death and life. Then, as abruptly as it had been upon him, it was gone. The glow still surrounded him, but now it was soft, warm, caressing. The Ring, on its chain before him, hovered in midair, rotating slowly. Frodo's eyes widened when he saw that the markings were glowing flame red.

Droplets of light, beading from the glow that surrounded him, danced to join together under the hovering Ring. Slowly, the lights formed a transparent, ghostly image of a breathtakingly beautiful girl. Hair as golden as the One Ring, that seemed more silver than the moon under the starlight. Eyes as bright as sapphires, as big as the universe that seemed to be reflected out of them. The image wavered, faded, then in place of the image of the girl was a ghostly image of a golden locket.

The locket opened…silver light poured out, emanating from something within it. The melody that played across the stars, weaving around his heart, however, was from the locket itself.

The writings on the Ring, under the silver light, turned from fiery red to the purest of whites… Frodo squinted…he imagined that he could almost see the markings themselves changing shape along with their color as the Ring descended towards the Locket…lower and lower…rotating slowly, slowly…

And then he'd awoken to Sam's urgent shakings, then pointing to where, in the distance, three to four dozen Orcs were slowly heading their way, surrounding a wagon…and inside the wagon… Inside the wagon had been three female figures…

**__**

End Flashback

That had been yesterday. He and Sam had been following the small unit of Orcs since, for several reasons; 1) they hoped the already dimwitted Orcs wouldn't think to look for them so close to their camp. 2) They also hoped that some of the larger, more dangerous creatures they'd spied in this land wouldn't attack then while they were so close to something they feared, and 3) perhaps they would have a chance to rescue the girls inside that cage-wagon.

So, Frodo, as Sam finally managed to make a spark from the flint catch, kept an eye on the four large fires only a few dozen hundred yards away. The wagon was in the center of the fires, and Frodo sighed. He knew the hope of rescuing them was folly, but…he had to at least keep an eye out for an opportunity to try…

He narrowed his eyes as he saw action among the seemingly celebrating twenty or so Orcs. Two of them opened the cage and reached inside. There was a brilliant flash of light from inside, and the Orc howled and retracted his…stub? Indeed, where his arm had once been, there was now only a stub of molted flesh and putrid bone. But instead of becoming angry, he seemed to…laugh? Yes, he seemed to almost thrive on the pain that the excessive wound brought him.

Frodo shuddered in revulsion. Sam, curious as to what had made his master react so, came to sit beside him and peer over the low wall of rocks that hid them from immediate view. He got there just in time to, along with Frodo, glimpse another Orc coming over to the other side of the wagon, opposite the opening, and thrust into it a long, thick spear. There was heard a loud, decidedly feminine shriek, and a small figure came tumbling out to land at the now one-armed Orc's feet. The hideous creatures roared with laughter that sounded more like gurgling screams of agony.

With surprising determination in her movements, the small girl pulled herself to her feet. From their distance, it was hard to tell, but judging from her stature, Sam and Frodo both thought she could be a very slender hobbit.

Another Orc strode forward and brought his large, heavy, crude broadsword down at her. She ducked and sprang away with a nimble quickness that was obviously not expected by her captors.

"Come and get me, creeps!" She shouted, a slight, delicate accent gracing her light voice, which was now thickened with challenge, disgust, and fear.

Orcs thrive on fear.

They gave chase with a loud roar, at least ten of them rushing after her as she darted, jumping and leaping with unnatural accuracy and balance from rock to rock, ridge to ridge. So in awe of her ethereal movements, despite the haste in them, that Frodo and Sam realized too late that the girl –whom they could now see had dark, short hair, the color of which was still unseen- was heading right for them. If she knew they were there or not, however, was unclear. They could only hold their breath and hope she either came close enough and soon enough for them to grab her and hide deeper into the cave, or turn away…

Sam snuffed out the fire, and they were plunged into darkness as the girl continued to run quite literally for her life…

Ami ran.

She ran, and she hated herself for it.

Every atom of her soul and heart and body screamed for her to go back for her two friends…what had happened to Hotaru, she had no idea…none of them had seen her since they'd been hurled into the time Portal Setsuna had opened…

But no matter how horrid she felt, Ami's mind held more sway over her than most. Her mind knew that if she did go back, she would surely die. Her mind knew that _her_ escape now was their only chance of _all_ of them escaping from these hideous creatures that had captured them at the precise moment of their arrival… How fate could be so cruel as to allow them to teleport right in the very middle of a youma camp was beyond her… And what had happened to Hotaru?

They'd been caught of guard, without enough time to even raise their fists in defense, let alone transform. Foolish of them it had been to pack all weapons, besides two daggers each; daggers didn't go far against thirty man-sized youmas, each with the strength and quickness of two men. Only the fact that they had recovered from their surprise –and hadn't just spent what seemed an eternity traveling the hazardous, painful, draining road through time- that allowed them to be captured.

Their belongings had yet to be divided among the troops, which was perhaps the result of, when one of the creatures had tried to steal something from within one of the packs without the knowledge of his comrades, he had been burnt to a crisp by one of Raye's anti-evil charms. 

On Ami ran, hearing the grotesque sounds of slithery, gurgly breathing as her pursuers gained. Fast she was, even when not transformed, leaping from rock to rock and running when the ground was level enough. But she wasn't fast enough…something about the way her pursuers moved spoke of something guiding them…like they knew every single rock and turn and ledge and gorge and crack better than they knew themselves.

Ami glanced over her shoulder, knowing she shouldn't, but unable to help herself. She bit back a scream just as she landed on another rock, and she tasted blood in her mouth. Swallowing both blood and bile, she looked away, running, and made to take another leap over an arched stone before her…

Something grabbed her foot.

Only the grip her teeth still had on her tongue prevented her from screaming as she went down. Pain exploded next to her temple, and she knew no more as strange hands pulled her down into darkness.

****

To Be Continued…

*jaw drops* WOW! I had no idea people would like that lil 'How many girlfriends have you had?' thingamajig… I know, I know, I didn't have him answer the question, mainly because I thought it would only be something to further Serena's bumbly personality, I didn't think people would actually say they were rolling on the floor with laughter… I'll have to find a way for that to be a running joke throughout the fic…*evil laughter* Legolas, beware of me!!!!!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

*ahem*

Anyhoo…

Before I wanna go, I want to say again to HikariTsuki what a wonderfully sweet person you are. What else can I say? Your praise could make any humble saint become a vain piglet in no time! *hugglez* Luckily for me, I'm not a humble pries! *wink*

And thank you to all those who have thanked me for making the chapters so long! I made a special effort to make sure each chappie is at LEAST ten pages. I know what its like to find a fic you like and have each chapter be, like, three paragraphs (*looks pointedly at Kashukamoto-chan* ahem?).

'Neways, last thing; **My aim for this fic is to hit 500 reviews before chapter ten** (yes, there will be at least ten chapters to this fic…probably more like twenty…*sweatdrop* I have a problem with ending my fics in the way of I can never seem to end them!!!) **So please, please, please help me reach my goal!!!!!!!!!** I promise more chapters quicker! I have the next four chapters written already, actually…editing might go a bit quicker if a multitude of reviews suddenly pop out of nowhere….*halo*

Once again, I hope you've enjoyed, and until next time! Ja!

Hope Makes the Universe Shine,

Makura Koneko

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ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY


	7. Chapter Six: Sticks on a Skateboard

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The Will of the Ring

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Chapter Six

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by Makura Koneko

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Big Thanks to:

**Tsuki no Tenshi**

**Alexia Goddess**

**Silverdrake**

**MoonGrlonearth** (*blush* Actually, I thought 500 was ambitious for this ficcie…glad you think it deserves it, though! I'm flattered!)

**Achelois**

Angel Wing 

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Clear (*blushes and stutters* M-me? Contest? In a magazine? @.@ *shakes head vigorously* I'm so honored you think I'm good enough for that…but just couldn't… *looks sheepish* I'd be too afraid of loosing…and I don't think I'm that good. ^^ *hugglez* But I'm so flattered you think I am…)

****

sele 

Crystania Rayne Sunsets (Crystania is your REAL name? *jaw drops* No fair!!! And here I got stuck with plain old Kathaeryne…*sigh* Oh, well. Oh, and as for finishing this fic before your exams, it would help if I knew when your exams were… Aw, you told your friends about that part? Tee-hee. Glad to have kept you laughing. I love making people laugh! ^__^)

****

Kazeya

**star0704** (hmm…that 'light attracts darkness' scenario is something I may use in the future…thanks for suggesting it!)

**Phoenix Wing Star**

**Liquid Ice**

**ChibiTenshi** (You hope it has a happy ending? Girl, no fear of anything but that! I have an addiction to happy endings, therefore this ficcie is assured a happy ending.)

**Authoress*Crest**

Blue Angel (*raises eyebrow* You want MORE detail? *low whistle* Most people tell me I spend too much time on detail…*grins* But I will do my best to deliver!)

**empress blade**

**umi** (You know what is really funny, I put the names of all the Senshi in a hat (except Hotaru and Ami) and drew out the names. I didn't deliberately pick Raye and Haruka; it was completely random!)

**DemonicCatGirl**

**SerenityLNguyen**

Celes 

**Goddess-of-Light**

Spooky Fyre 

CrazyJ 

**Mats Forsen**

**saturnpyroprincess****   
~Pyro**

**Be'Jammin** (*grins* Glad you liked the cliffhanger; it's one of my specialties. And yes, the Nazgul will be making an appearance. Not till chapter nine, tho, I think… And as for how they –the Senshi- will fare against them…well, you'll just have to wait and see, now won't you? *halo*)

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Chibi Arwen

H20Angel

**solarmistress17**

**Katana**

Linauri 

Squirrel

Wavewalker

Sailorruss

Niner

nicole 

**__**

Let the Legend Continue…

"You ready to tell us what happened, yet?" Yaten Kou asked his elder brother as Seiya, obviously worn with grief, entered the living room of their hotel suite. Seiya looked up at him, then collapsed into an armchair. He'd been thus, almost sleepwalking, since he'd gone to see the girl they'd traveled all the way across the universe to see, three days ago.

Taiki entered carrying a tray of drinks, which he set down on the table before handing one to Yaten and another to Seiya. Seiya just looked at for a moment before blinking, as if realizing for the first time what it was he held in his hand. He sipped at it, the alcohol of the drink searing his throat and serving to wake him up a bit.

"She looked like she was asleep…" Seiya said softly.

"Something else happened." Taiki observed. "You felt her grief about a year ago, and it took us almost a year to get here. Was that what caused her to go into a coma?" 

Seiya shook his head. "No. It was something that happened in her normal sleep almost about a week ago, during a sleep-over with the rest of the girls. Ami says Serena just went into a sort of…spazing, screaming, crying in her sleep. They couldn't wake her up…" He gripped his drink harder. "Ami says…Ami says that, physically, Serena is simply in a very, very deep sleep. Not a coma, just…asleep. But her mind…her spirit, or essence…it's in the past…"

"How far into the past?" Yaten asked. Seiya shook his head.

"They're not sure," He said. "But Ami estimates about one hundred billion years."

"Kuso," Taiki cursed. Seiya nodded once more. "They…if they stuck to the estimated time schedule of how long it would take them to get ready, they probably left for the past today. At least some of them. Something about at least three of them having to be there when her second shell deteriorates…" His grasp on his glass tightened as he shut his eyes. Yaten reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You can explain later," Taiki said. Seiya opened his eyes slowly and nodded, swallowing. He took another sip of his drink, not loosening his grip in the slightest.

"What about what we came here for?" Yaten asked. "What was it that happened last year to make even our Princess feel her pain?"

"Darien." Seiya said hoarsely.

"What?" Yaten exclaimed. "What did that baka do to her?"

"He died." Seiya closed his eyes once more, his grip on his glass becoming perilously tight.

"How?" Taiki asked.

"Protecting Serena." Seiya said softly. "He took a blow meant for her. A youma. A leftover of Chaos's most likely. Ami said there wasn't even enough left of him to bury."

"The youma?" Yaten asked.

"Raye had a vision, and they got there as soon as they could…"

"Soon enough to dust the youma before it got away, but not soon enough to save the Prince." Taiki finished. Seiya nodded and took a gulp of his drink as the foreign Senshi sat in silence.

It was the first night Serena had spent with her 'protectors' while awake. But, for some reason, she wasn't the least bit worried or nervous. A smokeless fire had been kindled, and beds made out of reeds laid across each other, leaves on top, had been set up around the fire. 

"Time for a lesson." Gimli suddenly announced the moment 'dinner' had been over –which, in Serena's case, had only taken a few moments. The dwarf stood, battle ax in hand, and kinked his finger to Serena, indicating she was to get up. She swallowed her last bite of biscuit and blanched.

"Wh-what did I do?" She squeaked, eyeing the battle ax.

"He means to teach you to use a weapon with which you can defend yourself," Legolas told her. "Should there be a time when none of us are near enough to do the protecting for you."

"I can protect myself just fine!" Serena huffed, standing up, hands on hips, looking every inch the indignant princess. Boromir grinned and stood up as well, pulling a dagger from his belt and flipping it over in his hand expertly, so that he was carefully gripping the knife as he held out the hilt to Serena. She took it, unsuspectingly, and the moment her hand closed around it, he whipped her around, had on arm around her neck and the dagger poised to pierce her belly.

"Hey!" Serena wailed. "That wasn't fair!"

"Nothing about a fight is fair," Aragorn told her. "Least of all the fighters. You'd do well to remember that." Boromir released her, sheathing his dagger as he ruffled her bangs. Serena frowned, her face fixed in an adorable pout, as she nodded mutely.

"Come now, lass," Gimli told her, stepping away from the camp fire, far enough away so that the likely hood of Serena tripping and burning herself was unlikely, but not so far away that the light of the fire was too dim for them to comfortably maneuver. Serena followed, looking nervous and uncomfortable as Gimli handed her the battle ax that was at least two and a half feet long. The moment Gimli's sure grip left his own weapon, however, Serena squeaked and nearly dropped it.

"It's so _heavy_!" She whined. "How do you expect me to lift this thing high enough to swing it, let alone handle it well enough to fight with it?"

"We don't expect you to fight with it, Butterfly," Gimli snorted. "Just swing it around a few times, enough to get your attackers to back off."

"Meanwhile, you scream your head off, and we'll come running," Boromir told her, flicking her on the nose before reaching down to help her adjust her grip on the battle ax. When her grasp on the weapon was sufficient, she found that it was a bit easier to lift it, though she still had to strain her muscles to do so.

When she'd held it aloft for as long as she could, per Gimli's instructions, and dropped it with a grunt, the blade of the ax dug deep into the ground, and Serena gasped for air and groaned.

"I can barely hold it up for one minute!" She wailed. "There's no way I'll be able to swing it!"

"Try," Legolas told her. She pouted.

"I can't!" She insisted.

"What if your friends were in danger?" Aragorn asked her from his place beside the fire. "Would you whine and say 'I can't' or would you put everything you had into it? Is protecting yourself not as important as defending those you love? You say you are the leader of those that protect your home in the future. If you die, surely they will eventually die, without you, as well?"

"Think of protecting yourself as protecting them." Legolas told her, coming to her side and adjusting her grip once more, as it had slid too close to the end of the ax. Serena blinked as his hands adjusted hers gently. Always it had been her Senshi that had strived to survive to continue to protect her. Never had she considered that she may be important enough to be able to have the same significance…

The same determination that she'd had on her face when she'd struggled to reach a nearly dead Boromir donned on her face now, sapphire eyes sparkling, lips and chin set. A vein in her temple pulsed, and her shoulders and arms tensed and rippled with strength she herself hadn't known she had filled her. A physical strength. She was used to summoning on magical strength, will power, to the point of death, but this was the first time she'd managed to physically pull what she demanded out of her own body…

Slowly, the ax lifted…

Serena, out of the corner of her eye, glimpsed a thick, sturdy root running down the wall of the cave…

With a cry, Serena jerked the ax out of the ground, heaved with all her might, and swung with every last ounce of strength…

The sound of steel on stone rang out through the cave as the root was severed clean through, the blade of the battle ax deeply imbedded in the stone wall.

Serena smirked.

"Take that, Raye…" She said, breathing heavily. "That's for all the times you called me weak!"

With that, the Moon Princess promptly collapsed.

(**Author's Note:** _I know, I know, I've said this twice already, but I'm real paranoid about flames, so…once again, please remember that, since I haven't read 'The Two Towers' or seen the movie, while I do know Gandalf comes back, I have no idea how. So, once again, I will be doing things the way I would have had it done if I had written 'Lord of the Rings.' (*sweatdrop* I know, I know, dream on…) Big thanks to all you that gave me tips on what was gonna happen!_

-**Makura**)

The Wizard Gandalf awoke with a raging headache, painfully empty stomach, blurry vision, and what he was pretty sure was a broken ankle.

He also awoke to sense a potent, dark power near him…very near… He somehow summed the strength to roll over, and found himself facing the source of that dark power. He squinted in the near darkness as his memory slowly came back, as he looked upon the girl before him, of what had happened…

He was supposed to be dead…

No one went up against a Belrog and lived…

Yet he was alive…

He found himself recalling, as the dark girl crawled slowly closer, the words Bilbo Baggins had said so long ago on the day of his birthday party…

__

I'm getting too old for this…

With that last thought, he succumbed to sleep once more.

Hotaru was more scared than she'd been in a long time. She tried, for the thousandth time, to figure out what had gone wrong as she sat in the darkness, watching with what little light came from the crystal atop a staff she'd found, the old man she'd awoken beside.

They'd all, Haruka, Ami and Raye, joined hands, closed their eyes, concentrated… Setsuna-mama had opened the portal above them, and they'd immediately been pulled in. It seemed like an eternity that they'd bounced around, screaming, clinging to each other for dear life…

Then something had…grabbed her. Not just her body, but her mind, her soul, her thoughts, even her very powers, and had pulled…not yanked, just plucked her away from her friends. She wasn't pulled from their grasp; one moment her hand were in Haruka and Ami's, the next they were gone. The shape her hands and fingers had made to curl around her friends' hands hadn't even changed. It was more sudden than teleportation…

She'd been hurtled away from her friends, she'd seen a portal nearing, a flash of light that she'd had but a moment to realize looked and felt and even smelled similar to that of Serenity's before darkness had overcome her.

She'd awaken with a headache, every inch of her body sore, and without any way of knowing how long she'd been out. She'd looked around with the minimum light that glowed around her form while she healed herself of multiple bruises, and had spied a tall wooden staff, the gnarled top of which curled around a crystal that looked to be some sort of quartz. She had reached for it, grabbing at it before her light could fade, only to have the crystal flare with light that dimmed after a moment.

That had been…how long ago? Hotaru had tried singing a song in her head that she knew was exactly five minutes long, but she'd lost track long ago…or was it only a few moments ago?

Hotaru drew her knees up to her chest, clutching the staff in front of her legs as she watched old man. He had awoken only once, briefly, long enough to roll over and look at her with unfocused eyes.

Hotaru shivered.

Far below, an evil greater than most –though not quite up to Chaos- floated, calling to her powers, making the evil in her own blood sing. 

Hotaru buried her face in her knees, squinting her eyes shut.

__

No! She shouted at it. _I'm not like you! I _choose _not to be like you!_ **_Be silent_**!

The evil stopped calling her, and the monster inside her that was the true essence of the Senshi of Destruction quieted and returned to its –she hoped- eternal sleep.

Hotaru took a few deep breaths to calm her raging heartbeat, and forced her mind to go over what had happened, to try and figure out what could have caused her to have been plucked from her friends' grasp and yanked to a place that was not their destination… Was she was in the same time as they, or had she been snatched before they'd reached their destined time period? For all she knew, she could only been a few hundred years back from her time…

Hotaru's mind began to catch…she imaged four upright sticks on a skateboard, zooming down a narrow path. What if a branch, a stick, a hook of some sort had been in just the right place for one of the sticks to be hooked and snatched, while the other three kept going?

Was that what had happened to her? That light, that power she'd sensed that had been similar to Serenity's, was that what had 'snagged' her?

Hotaru shook her head to disband the confusing, farfetched thoughts. Then again…here she was, sitting on a ledge in the wall of a gorge that probably went to the depths of hell itself, with an evil rivaling her -a ten year old's- calling to her own destructive nature…who was she to call something farfetched?

Hotaru looked up sharply. A groan? Had she truly heard something from the elderly human before her? Or was it just her imagination? Or some creature climbing up the walls of the chasm to drag her down to where many believed she belonged?

Hotaru held her breath, listening…there it was again! She squinted in the dim light…there! The old man's hand moved! Then, with painful slowness, that same hand was raised to touch a not all that pretty cut on his temple. He pulled open weary, blurry eyes, the color of which Hotaru could not see. He blinked several times, perhaps over the course of several hours for all Hotaru could tell, before finally seeming to actually see her.

"Hello, child," He said, his voice hoarse but no less kind. Hotaru blinked. She'd expected something like 'who are you and what are you doing with my staff?' since she assumed the staff was his.

"H-Hello," Hotaru replied, surprised she found she could and would. The man pushed himself up into a sitting position, swayed, and then dragged himself to a rock near her, which he collapsed against heavily. Hotaru eyed his many wounds; broken ankle, twisted wrist, a gash on his leg, and probably a concussion. 

"Are you hurt, child?" He asked her. She blinked in surprise. She hardly had a scratch on her, and here he was probably near death's door, and he knew it, and he was asking after her? When for all he knew she had been set her to make sure he died?

"I am fine, thank you," She said, the manners Michiru-mama had instilled in her holding. He grinned slightly.

"That shall ease my conscience a bit," He said with a grunt of pain as he tried to righten himself more.

"You shouldn't move," Hotaru told him. "You took a good beating."

"Yes, rock ledges often hold grudges against me when I fall on them," He said in a teasing voice, much in the same way Mina would do in a laughing tone. Hotaru, with a pang in her heart, winced as she remembered her own predicament. 

"Do you know where we are?" Hotaru asked.

"The chasm of Khazad-dum if memory serves me correctly," The man said. He turned his head, despite the pain it brought him, to look at her. Hotaru blinked in surprise. What wisdom, what kindness, what…_endurance_ was in those eyes!

"If you would not think me too forward," He said, wincing in pain as he moved his arm, even as his tone was somehow surrounded with warmth. "May I ask your name?"

"Hotaru." Hotaru replied. She eyed the gash on his leg. It was bleeding again. Having been numbed by fear for herself, the part of her that had always refused to let another suffer when she could do something to stop or prevent that suffering overcame her full force. Uncurling from her self-protective position, she stood slowly and walked to him, very mindful of he edge of the ledge not far away. She knelt beside him, quenching her nervousness.

"My name's Hotaru Tomoe," She said. "Wh-what's your name?"

"Gandalf the Gray, I am called." He told her.

"H-how did you end up down here, Gandalf-san?" Hotaru asked. Gandalf sighed and winced.

"That, I'm afraid, is a long story, and one I fear I am not all that up to telling at the present moment." He smiled at her. "And although I would like to ask you the same, since I am unable to give an answer as of now, I don't expect you to, either."

"That's okay," Hotaru said softly. "I… Truth be told, I have no idea how I got here."

"How is that?" He inquired. Hotaru shook her head. "I have a few ideas…" She looked at the swelling bump on his forehead, and the glossy look his eyes had. "But first," She said. "Let's take care of this." Her hand, per her summoning, began to glow a soft violet as she reached up and with the lightest of touches, she let one finger caress the large swelling. Almost instantly Hotaru could feel his relief as the coolness that was the magic doing it's healing slipped under his skin and wrapped around the injured tissue, going all the way down to the rattled bone of his skull and the bruised flesh that was his brain.

"Where did you learn such magic?" Gandalf asked her when she pulled away, his concussion healed and only a slight bruise on his forehead to show for it. His eyes calculating and impressed, but not scared or wary or hostile in the slightest.

"I never learned it," Hotaru said softly. "I was born with it." She hesitated slight before adding, "Papa says my mama had gotten a cut on her forehead the before I was born. He said when she first held me in her arms, I reached up, and my finger glowed purple, and the cut was gone." Hotaru drew apart the folds of the slash in his gray robe to the ugly gash just above his knee. She touched the raw, exposed flesh, and the man stiffened, but she continued. When the wound was healed, only a fleshy, temporary pink scar to show for it, she was weary, but she moved to attend to his ankle anyway, when a hand on her wrist stopped her.

"That will be quite enough for now," Gandalf told her kindly. "The ankle can wait. I have suffered far worse, and I'd thank you to make sure my only companion on this perilous occasion does not collapse of exhaustion on me." His smile was gentle and warm, as were his eyes. Hotaru found herself thinking of the father she'd never had. Oh, Haruka played the part beautifully, but still…there were some things…

Hotaru smiled and sat back on her heels. She picked up the staff she'd laid down on the floor and held it out to him.

"I think this is yours," She said. Gandalf looked mildly surprised, as if he'd forgotten he'd ever even owned it.

"I thank you for keeping it safe," He told her with a teasing smile, and reached out to take it-

Silver, gray, and lavender light filled the chasm of Khazad-dum, and the only two non-evil occupants disappeared.

Ami must have only been out for a few moments after she hit her head on that rock on her way down… Her eyes flitted open to find herself sitting half in someone's lap, pulled against them with a stranger's arm around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides, and another hand over her mouth. What lead her to believe she had only been unconscious for a few seconds, however, was that she could hear the sound of dozens of heavy, armor clad feet pounding across the 'roof' of wherever she was. The same sounds she'd heard when being chased by the same creatures that were making those sounds.

She could feel that whoever held her was not a large person, hardly any bigger than her, and no armor. Something moved ever so slightly to her right, and she peeked her eyes open just the tiniest bit to spy a second person, no bigger than the one that held her against him.

"Master Frodo, sir, I think she's waking up," The second figure, to Ami's right, whispered with the slight lilt of a European accent. Exactly which dialect it was, Ami was surprised to discover she didn't know.

"Ssssh…" Hushed her captor softly. Ami forced herself to remain limp as the sounds of pounding feet, growls of frustration, and hostile snarls faded, and cries of triumph originating from her friends in the distance.

It seemed like an eternity that the three of them lay there, not daring to look out to see if the creatures had gone back to the camp, or if they were still sniffing around.

At last Ami's captor shifted and turned her in his arms so that his arm was under her shoulders and she was sitting with her legs on the other side of him. He tapped her cheek lightly. Ami debated on whether or not she should continue to feign sleep…

"Think she fainted?" The second figure asked. With the way his body shifted, Ami could tell her holder had shook his head. He touched her forehead, and where he touched her, the skin flamed with pain.

"She hit her head when we pulled her down," Her holder said softly. Ami was hard pressed not to show her surprise at his voice; how pain and sorrow ridden it was!

"Think we should try and wake her?" The second asked. "Strider did say that it's not good to fall asleep when you've a head injury."

"I don't think it's that bad," Her holder said, sitting her up in his lap so that her head was in the crook of his shoulder. She was a bit miffed at the fact that she had to admit she was quite comfortable…

"Hand me that canteen," Her holder said. "I think it's just a bad bruise. She should come around shortly."

"What if she doesn't?"

"Then we'll have to try and get to those other girls without her help."

"Without her help?" She heard the owner of the second voice rummaging around for something.

"She'll know the layout of the camp and the cage better than we could, from up here," Her holder said, reaching across her to accept something dripping from the second speaker. A cool, wet cloth was laid over the burning, throbbing bump on her forehead, and she was hard pressed to keep from sighing in relief.

"Think you we should try for the girls now?" The second speaker asked quietly. "While we have the cover of darkness? They most likely wouldn't expect something else to happen so soon."

"You forget these aren't normal Orcs," Ami's holder said, dabbing her cheeks and brow with the cloth before waving a bit to make it cold again and laying it over her forehead once more. "They see better in the dark than we do, and they're angry right now, which makes them energized. I suspect if we ever get a chance to get to them, it will be in the morning, when they are groggy. They may be able to stand sunlight, but they still don't like it."

"Aye, sir," The second speaker said with a sigh. She heard someone shifting as he most likely tried to find a comfortable spot. "Should we settle in for the night, then?"

"That's probably all we can do about now," Her holder sighed, touched her cheek, and shifted to find a more comfortable spot himself. He reclined against a slopped rock, Ami still cradled in his arms, her head in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

"You look awfully cozy there, Frodo, sir," The second voice teased after a moment of silence. She immediately felt 'Frodo' stiffen and croak something.

"Sam!" Frodo hissed. "Why you-"

"Only jesting, sir," Sam stiffled a laugh. "I'm sure your only intentions are that you don't wish the girl to run off while we sleep without us knowing, eh?"

"Exactly." Frodo said, though his voice still sounded suspicious. She felt him adjust the cloth again. "I wonder what her name is…" He wondered out loud.

"I'd say we could make a guessing game of it, but 'tis too dark to see her face, so…" She could have sworn she heard Sam shrug.

"We'll have to go by what we heard of her voice, then." Frodo said.

"Good enough." Sam agreed, and, to Ami's amusement, the two of them proceeded to come up with a list of names that fit her voice, since they dared not light a fire to see her face.

Their game to pass time till their edginess faded enough for sleep was abruptly interrupted by a flash of light that Ami found all to similar… Sam and Frodo threw their arms over their faces to shield themselves from the blinding light, the light that Ami was lucky enough to have already have her eyes closed against. How did she know it was there? White-hot light filled the inside of her eyelids, the power and potency of the light saturating her very flesh as it washed over her… Only four times in her life had Ami felt this same light wash over her…

No, not quite…

The light that was beginning to fade was similar to that of Princess Serenity's Silver Crystal, but not quite the same…it was…duller compared, to the flawless white-hot purity of the Moon Princess's magic.

When the light was faded enough –judging from the receding searing whiteness under her eyelids- that she deemed it safe to look, Ami opened her eyes… 

Shouts and cries rose up outside, from the 'Orc' –as Frodo had called them- camp. Frodo and Sam were alert, and hadn't yet noticed that she was awake. Ami debated on whether or not she should let them know and peek out, see what was going on…

A faint sensation of one of her sister Senshi transforming washed over her, followed by another, and another, and then…a third? Ami sat up suddenly, joy on her face. Three transformations, when one of them wasn't hers, only meant one thing; somehow either Serena or Hotaru had found them.

"Miss?" Sam asked her. Ami glanced to him, grinning.

"She found us!" She cried, and without waiting, leapt for the opening above a low wall of stones, which she had undoubtedly been pulled through. Frodo scrambled after her and grabbed her arm, but it was too late; both of them were out in the open.

The sight that greeted Frodo was one he'd never forget…down below, admist raging Orcs were four young girls, wearing highly odd and colorful uniforms of some sort, and…

"Gandalf…" Frodo breathed. He stared at the tall elderly man, brandishing his staff, spheres of white light lancing out to catch an Orc in the head, belly, chest, back, anywhere.

The girls fought with magic, as well. As he watched, a tall one with long raven colored hair summoned a bow and arrow made of fire to her hands. The flaming arrow flew straight and true, straight into the black heart of an Orc that was running at her. Another arrow in her hand lengthened to that of a full sized spear of fire.

The cage lay in slashed, charred ruins as the five of them stood in a ring around it, fighting their way outwards.

"I've got to help them!" Ami cried. Frodo looked at her, then pulled Sting from its scabbard at his side as Sam climbed out into the open with them.

"Then we'll help you," Frodo told her. Sam hid his surprised delight; this was the most alive his master had been since the battle on the western bank. The girl smiled brightly, and for the first time they both noticed that she was quite lovely, with fluffy blu- _blue_ hair? Yes, she had earlobe length, midnight blue hair and dazzling indigo eyes.

"Thank you," She said, smiling. She looked back to the fight, her face hardening into that of someone whom had seen much too much far too young.

"Hold on, guys," She cried out. "I'm coming!" She raised her arm, then, as she jerked it back down to her chest, she cried out, "_Mercury Eternal Power_! **_Transform_**!"

Ribbons of sparkling, shinning, radiant ice and water and mist whisped into existence as she was lifted into the air by an unseen force. She twisted around like an unearthly dancer as the ribbons conformed to her body, her former clothing fading as her very skin began to glow too brightly for any features to be distinguished. The ribbons settled, tightened, seemed to melt into each other, then her entire form flashed. Misty bubbles and water sprays were flung away from her as bright, fairy like wings that seemed to be made of ice and mist flared into existence on her back. She arched her back as the wings folded in front of her, covering her from head to toe, then snapped back.

When they did so, in their wake was left thigh-high ice blue boots with silver lining. Around her waist was a silky, almost transparent, gathered skirt of sky blue that flowed and cascaded out behind her. A slit in the skirt going up to her waist revealed that the white bodice she wore was in fact a leotard fitted to her body like a glove. The skirt rippled and fluttered out behind her as a wrap of the same color and material as the skirt came up behind her to wrap around her shoulders, the ends of the wrap tucking themselves down in the 'v' dip of the bodice's neckline.

A sphere of blue light settled over her heart, right at the 'v' dip. It flashed, forming a heart shaped blue crystal before flashing once more to hide her from view. When the light faded, they had but the barest moment to glimpse what else had appeared on her before she dashed towards her friends with a cry**;** two silver sphere on her forehead on either side of a blue, unknown symbol, blue pearl earrings, and matching swirling wrist bands.

Exchanging looks of awe –that had all happened in a mere four seconds!- Sam and Frodo shook themselves, then, swords held aloft, they raced after the sapphire goddess, hoping they lived to ask who and what she –and her friends- were…and why they were here…

****

To Be Continued…

Ta-da! Well, hope this chappie wasn't too confusing, and I hope you didn't mind the wait! *sweatdrop* Back-to-school exams have been keeping me busy.

Good news; we're pretty much done packing, now all we gotta do is move it all into storage, spot clean the house, then I will have two weeks to do nothing but write. After that, we're going on vacation till our new house is done, so don't expect anything for about a month after those two weeks.

*hugglez to all* You guys have all been so great! I'm up to 200 reviews!!!! *tears* I may just make my **500-reviews-by-chapter-ten** goal after all! ^^ *hugglez* Thank you! Ja!

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Hope Makes the Universe Shine,

__

Makura Koneko

****

ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY


	8. Chapter Seven: 'Sailors' No More

**_SPECIAL NOTICE to 'Chibi Arwen' and 'Final-Fan' at the bottom!!!!!_** **** **The Will of the Ring** **Chapter Seven**

_by Makura Koneko_

**Big Thanks to:**

**Tuxedo Starr, the best beta reader there is!!!!**

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**Achicagoil** (Hey, I promise the only interference the Senshi will make of the Serena/Legolas relationship will be of the humorous sort! Or at least I'll try to make it humorous… I am not a Senshi hater, in fact I believe that the Senshi are a part of Serena. I'm not going to have them drag Serena back to their time. I believe that the Senshi are there to ultimately support and follow Serena, whatever her decision may be, and I plan to reinforce that belief in my fic.)

**tohru-kun **

**solarmistress17**(I sometimes post a chapter, then catch a blooper/plot hole/typo/misspelling and I go back, fix it, then repost it. That's probably what happened.)****

**CrazyJ **

**Clear **

**Liquid Ice******

**Mats Forsen**

**Linauri**

**SquirrelnoShi**

**highqueenofthegods**

**Final-Fan **(Yes, Gandalf still becomes the White sometime in my story. Regarding the rest of your review, I addressed that at the bottom with my other author's notes. Thanks for the tips!)

**Spooky Fyre **

**Tsuki no Tenshi**

**SerenityLNguyen**

**Aredhel** (Thank you soooooooo much for giving me the correct spelling to Khazad-dum! I went back and corrected that and reposted the chapter. ^^ Thanks!)

**Crazygurl70**

**Celes **

**Be'Jammin** (*slaps forehead* Y'know, I completely forgot about Glamdring…I'll have to wait for an appropriate time to bring it back into play, cuz I liked that sword.)

**umi** (Glad people are noticing the little things I'm doing with Serena/Legolas! And, actually, the parts where Seiya is, that was originally Darien, but when people requested Legolas/Serena instead, and I went back and killed him, I put Seiya in his place. I always wanted to bring Seiya in for a lil debut anywayz, tho…)

**sailorruss**

**Shannan******

**Lily_Cat** (Love your screename!)

**Blue Angel** (More Legolas/Serena action, eh? Heh…will do, have no fear! And THANK YOU for understanding my attempt to use the little sweet things to build up to the romance.)

**saturnpyroprincess******

**_Some Things Should Not Be Forget, So Let Us Remember; Onward to Continue the Legend…_**

"You shouldn't be out here," A voice said softly, and a blanket was placed around her shoulders. Serena, startled at both voice and touch, barely managed to stifle a shriek as she whirled around.

"Legolas!" She hissed with a squeak of a voice, her heart pounding. "Don't _do_ that! You scared me!"

"My apologies," He said, looking -from what she could see of his face in the dim moonlight- genuinely sorry. "But I must insist," He continued quietly. "That you come back into the cave. It's not safe out here."

"Aw, c'mon!" Serena pouted, clutching the blanket around her; it was chilly. "I've got the dagger Boromir lent me!" She pulled the aforementioned weapon out of her belt and held it up. "See?"

"A simple dagger will not do you much good against a werewolf or an orc." He told her, putting his hand over hers and making her lower the dagger-holding fist. She sighed and put it back in her belt. "Plus, you didn't even hear me come up behind me, did you?"

"N-no…" Serena frowned. "But you're an elf!" She said defiantly. "Aren't you guys supposed to be naturally all stealthy?"

"I wasn't trying to be 'stealthy' and you still didn't hear me." He said, giving he a pointed look that clearly stated 'you're not going to win this argument so don't even try.'

Serena sighed, taking the hint, and looked away.

"I just wanted to see the Moon," She mumbled. She looked up at the bright silver orb, and silence reigned between them for a minute. "I miss them, Legolas. I wonder if they even realize I'm gone…maybe they just think I sleep-walked away or something…" She sniffed, and Legolas realized tears were running down her face. Taking the initiative and doing something most would believe rather unlike him, he stepped forward and took the sobbing girl into his arms. She leaned into him gratefully, sniffling and failing at her attempts to not get his tunic wet.

"If you are all as closely bonded as you say, I am quite sure they have noticed your absence," He told her, absently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "After all, I have known you for but a few mere days and I noticed your absence even in my slumber. You are not an easy person to miss, Serena."

"Really?" Serena pulled away just far enough to search his face for sincerity. When she found it in the way he nodded his head, her face blossomed into a wide smile and she dived into his arms again, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Thank you!" She sniffed, hugging him tight. Legolas couldn't help but smile as he gently returned the embrace before pulling away. Wrapping the blanket more securely around her shoulders, he guided her back towards the shrubbery-tunnel that lead back into the cavern.

Serena awoke, blinking in the darkness of the cave, to sensations that she gasped, nearly bursting into tears with joy at feeling once more.

Her Senshi!

They were near, and they had transformed!

Or at least four of them…

Managing to barely put a stopper on her sky-high excitement, Serena shut her eyes tight and concentrating as Luna had taught her, she felt around the sensations, slowly distinguishing each one… Uranus…Mars…Saturn…now Mercury… They were here!

Legolas had been right!

Hastily, forgetting that she lay by a fire and was surrounded by some of the planet's best fighters, Serena sat up, tossed her thin blanket aside, and dashed towards the exit of the cave, leaping over Legolas in the process. She ducked out, tripped over a large root arching up out of the ground. She scrambled to her feet, for once not noticing the frightening shadows that the gnarled overhead branches of nearby trees made. She stumbled through the prickly bush tunnel, and burst out into the open air of the path she and the others had been following earlier. She spotted a small clearing a ways off the trail, the air above it clear of branches so that you could well see, against a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of a full moon, glittering stars, and indigo blue, white-capped mountains were flashes of multicolored light in the distance.

Whether or not she could see the lights because their creators were in tune with her, or because they were rather large, she didn't know and didn't care as she dashed towards the clearing.

She stumbled into the moonlight, surrounded by a ring of closely-growing, huge trees. She was breathing thickly, as she stared with joy in her eyes at the aurora-like lights that flashed across the moon each time an attack was made. She had to help them! If she could transform, she could fly to where they were, help them, protect them… As she looked up, Serena suddenly gasped as she realized that she could only see the lights within the sphere of light that was the moon. The moon, she realized, was acting as a mirror to show her what was happening…those flashes of lights…they weren't radiating _from_ her friends, they _were_ her friends, each time they made an attack…

As she watched, the images in the moon cleared, and after a few seconds Serena may as well have been looking through a keyhole to see what was happening in a room. As she watched, a tall woman with short, sandy colored hair sliced off the head of a hideous monster that came up behind her.

"Uranus!" Serena gasped under her breath. Indeed, it was Uranus, but her fuku was different… 

A strip of sallow yellow cloth around her bosom, edged in indigo blue, and transparent indigo blue, fitted pants that flared out at the knees. A wide slit went from her ankles up to her knees, and the hem and edges of the slits were edged in the same sallow yellow as her top. At the top of the strip wrapped around her bosom were two strings. Each string went to either side of her neck and tied at the back of her throat, the ends of the strings flying out behind her a good three feet. Where the two strings met in the center of the top of her chest-binding was a golden-yellow, star shaped crystal with the symbol of Uranus inside it in dark blue. On her forehead, in the same sallow yellow as her outfit, the mark of Uranus shone under the starlight, matching the identical symbols on the outside of the gauntlets on her wrists. From her back sprouted transparent, pale yellow faerie wings sprinkled with sky blue speckles.

Serena took in this new ensemble all in a glance, and then her eyes went from Sailor Uranus to Sailors Mercury, Mars, and then Saturn; they were all clad in something reminiscent of Senshi's fuku, but all unique, and different from the pleated short school girl skirts and bows…

A hand on her elbow made Serena jump and whirl as she opened her mouth to scream. A second hand clamped down over her mouth and the hand on her elbow moved to encircle her waist and bring her against the strong chest of someone tall.

"Quiet, now!" Legolas told her, whispering into her ear firmly. "It's only me!" He let her go, and Serena whirled, then, in an almost panicky way, pointed to the moon.

"Look!" She said, happiness all over her face. "They're here! They're okay!" She looked to the moon again just in time to see Sailor Mars duck under the swing of another monster's sword, summoning to her hand one of her fire arrows and plunging it into it; the creature it burst into flame.

"I see only the Moon," Legolas told her, taking her elbow gently. "There's nothing up there, Serena."

"Yes there is!" Serena argued. She bit her lip and looked at the Moon again. "I guess I'm the only one that can see it, but-" She gasped. "Hotaru, look out!" Serena screamed as, in the Moon, she could see the image of Sailor Saturn fending off one monster while another came up behind her, ax raised… Serena screamed. 

"**_Hotaru!!!_**"

"Hotaru! Look out! **_Hotaru!!!_**"

"Serenity-hime?" Sailor Saturn gasped, her eyes widening in shock and surprise. Too late she actually comprehended the warning as she plunged her glaive into the chest of her opponent. Another shout went up, and SailorSaturn turned…slowly…too slowly…to see another Orc, his ax raised…coming down…

As if in slow motion, Sailor Saturn saw her death coming for her -how ironic; she the Senshi of Death, about to die- and at the same time saw another figure move towards her, out of the corner of her eye…

Time resumed it's normal pace, and Sailor Saturn felt the wind knocked out of her as she was shoved out of the way of the down-sweeping ax. She heard a grunt as steel hit wood. Saturn was on her feet in a flash, snatching her Glaive as she did so. She whirled to see Gandalf with his staff held horizontally before him with both hands -what had happened to the sword he'd had earlier, at Khazad-dum?- the Orc's Ax imbedded in it, but having not gone all the way through; that was some wood! Lita would be proud!

"You leave him alone!" Sailor Saturn yelled. "**_Silent Blast_**!" Where the new attack phrase came from, she had no idea. All she knew was that it worked. One minute the Orc was there, the next he was surrounded in a pillar of glowing purple light that streamed for her outstretched hands, and then he was gone. Simply gone…his armor and weapons and clothing fell to the ground, no longer having a body to hold them up.

"Thank you, Hotaru," Gandalf told her, hands on his knees as he sank to the ground. Sailor Saturn smiled at him before looking to where the last power phrase was screamed out. She saw the last Orc engulfed in a tornado ridden with bits of something hard and sharp; crystals of some sort. The creature was torn to a bloody shred before the bits of something with in the tornado began glowing sky blue and sunset yellow; he exploded into a puff of dust to be blown away, and was no more.

A few yards away, with her hands held out and the last bit of the same sky blue and sunset yellow light around her hands that had been in the wind, fading away, with a self-satisfied smirk on her face, was Sailor Uranus.

"That's a new one. Very nice." Sailor Mars commented on Sailor Uranus's powers as the light faded from around the sandy-haired woman's hands. Sailor Mars shoved a dead Orc off her, where it had fallen on her before she could jump out of the way after shooting him at close range with one of her arrows.

"Speak for yourself," Sailor Uranus snorted, hiding her pleasure at the compliment. "Since when can you summon and fire your arrows without calling out your attack phrase?"

Sailor Mars, with a slightly surprised look on her face, realized that indeed she had summoned and fired her weapon without saying a word. She had also been able to use just the arrow as a sort of mini spear when need be…no, not even that. Looking back, Sailor Mars remembered when one of her arrows, at her brief wish, had become a full sized spear.

"Seems we all got an upgrade on the attack front," Sailor Saturn said, glancing at Sailor Mercury, who was still looking from her hands, to the frozen Orc statues, then back to her hands, which were still surrounded by a floating, sparkling ice mist. She blinked, walked up to one of the frozen Orcs, and touched it…

The frozen Orc statue shattered, so cold it was. Sailor Mercury jumped back, then, grinning, summoned to her hand a whip of ice. She lashed out with it, and all six Orcs that had been caught in her freeze blast shattered to little more than frost.

Mercury shook herself, the whip disappeared, leaving only the misty glow before she closed her fists and lowered them. With this action, the mist faded and disappeared.

"As grateful as I am for not being the only magically equipped person in this group," Gandalf said, leaning heavily on his cracked staff. "I must admit I am loath to go any longer without inquiring as to just who you ladies are, and how it is that you are able control the Elements, to be able to summon them at your will and use them as weapons. I believe I speak for the Hobbits as well when I ask this." He winked at Frodo, who was on the ground not far from him, simply staring.

"Er, talent?" Sailor Saturn flushed. Sailor Uranus laughed.

"That and the right bloodline." Sailor Mars smirked.

"Pardon?" Asked Sam, dusting himself off as he gave Frodo a hand up from the ground, both with bloodstained swords in hand.

"We shall explain," Sailor Mercury promised. "But I'm afraid for now we have a pressing mission, and have only the time to provide our names." She took advantage of the cloak-like article that was her skirt, and took ahold of the two flaps that was either side of the slit that went from the top of the skirt all the way to the bottom, so that, in the front, they were not connected at all. She swept them aside and curtseyed. "I am Mercury."

"_Sailor_ Mercury," Sailor Mars added for her. Mercury blinked.

"No," She said after a moment. "Not like this." She touched the silver circles on either side of her Mercury symbol. "I'm not 'Sailor' anything. I'm Mercury. Period. Feel it, you guys. This isn't the Senshi Planet Power coursing through our veins, its Planet Power, raw and pure."

Shocked expressions of realization donned on all of their faces as, for the first time since transforming, they took serious note of their new fukus.

"Blue's right," Uranus murmured. "I'm Uranus. Period. Almost as if I were the planet itself…"

"Or darn close," Mars murmured. She sighed. "Well, in any case," She gave a curt nod to Gandalf, Frodo, and Sam. "I'm Mars."

"I already told Gandalf my name is Hotaru, but when I'm like this," She gripped the flaps of the skirt that was similar to Mercury's in that in the front there was nothing to hide the knee high purple, laced up boots and black leotard. "I am Saturn." She curtseyed slightly using the overlapping, tiered, petal shaped material that matched her sleeves, which had stayed the same as her sleeves as Sailor Saturn.

"Who are the shorties that came along after you, Blue?" Uranus addressed Mercury, referring to the Hobbits. Sam shook himself, but continued to stare unabashed at the lovely warrior goddesses before him before joining Frodo gaping at Gandalf.

"M-Mr. G-Gandalf s-s-sir…" Sam breathed, wide eyed.

"We meet again, Samwise Gamgee," Gandalf lifted his wizard's hat -which had somehow stay on his head, reminding the Senshi, with a sad twinge in their hearts, of Tuxedo Mask- and bowed to the Hobbit, bright amusement and happiness in his eyes.

"Gandalf…" Frodo choked. Gandalf smiled at him warmly.

"Yes, 'tis me, Frodo," He said. "You don't think I'd go and be the first Gray wizard to defeat a Belrog and then die before I could gloat over it, did you?"

"You'd never gloat." Frodo said with complete conviction.

"Alas, I cannot fool even you," Gandalf teased. He held out his arms as he knelt, and with a sob that he was not ashamed of in the least, Frodo threw himself at his old friend, and Sam soon joined in.

"As touching as this is," Uranus cut into their reunion sourly. "In case anyone's forgotten, we're right smack dab in the middle of a place twice as evil as the Dark Kingdom, and we have yet to locate the Princess, or even find out if she still lives."

"Oh, she's alive, I know that!" Saturn spoke up as Frodo and Sam and even Gandalf collected themselves, and tuned back into the conversation as the seven of them unconsciously formed a loose ring so as to see everyone else at once.

"How?" Mars demanded.

"I heard her!" Saturn said. "Just before Gandalf pushed me out of the way, I heard Serenity-hime's voice! She said, 'Hotaru, look out!'"

"You _heard_ her?" Mercury asked, surprised.

"She _heard_ me?" Serena breathed as she saw Saturn's eyes widen as she took down her opponent with her glaive.

"Serenity-hime?" Saturn breathed in a whispy voice that, down on Earth, Serena *_felt*_ rather than heard as she continued to watch the images in the Moon.

"Oh, look behind you!" Serena cried out, taking a step forward. Legolas's hand on her arm tightened, keeping her close. Serena gave a sudden cry of delight as a tall, white haired, white bearded man pushed Saturn out of the way… Serena, clapping for joy, ignoring the two warriors behind her and the one at her side, looking at her with concern. Legolas's hand moved up to her shoulder as she stared unblinkingly up at the Moon.

"She heard me, she heard me, she heard me!" Serena cheered.

"*_We*_ certainly did!" Gimli growled as he ran up to stand beside her with a huff.

"Ssh." Aragorn told him sharply, eyeing the Moon before glancing back down at the golden haired girl. Boromir stepped up to her, placing a hand on her other shoulder as he came around to her left to look at her face with concern. His eyes widened when he saw her golden, upturned crescent moon. Since she had transformed into the angel moon warrior not even two days ago, it had never completely faded. Now it was there, bold as could be, and glowing faintly to match the faint light that eminated from the locket restingin the small of her throat. The tears in her eyes glittered, reflecting the moonlight.

"What do you see?" Boromir asked her. Serena swallowed, blinked back her tears, and sniffled.

"They're here…" She whispered. "At least four of them… They…they've all got new attack weapons!" She cried with childish delight. "And they're with those two Hobbits you told me about… Samwise Gamgee, that old guy called him,and another one; he's got a ring on a chain around his neck…" She squinted up at the Moon. "And they just hugged a tall old guy as if they thought he was dead…"

"What did they call him?" Legolas asked her gently. She glanced at him as he gave her shoulder the briefest, lightest squeezed. She turned her head to smiled at him just as briefly in thanks, when their eyes locked for the most brief of moments, and something passed between their eyes… Serena yanked her eyes away and turned her gaze back to the Moon.

"Gandalf," She said. "They called him Gand-"

"What?" Aragorn recoiled slightly.

"You heard me," Serena pouted. "Gandalf."

"That frustratingly cheerful magic poofter is *_alive*_?" Gimli exclaimed.

"Sam and that other shortie with the Ring -Frodo, Gandalf called him- both called him 'Gandalf.'" Serena told them firmly, without looking at them, so she had no way of knowing the completely awestruck looks on their faces. "And he called himself the first Gray Wizard to defeat a Belrog…he said something funny…" She giggled, then sighed. "Haruka-chan's being insensitive again…wonder why they didn't bring Michi-chan along to keep her in line… Why aren't all my Senshi there?" She frowned. "I only see Uranus, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn…"

"If they come from the future, mayhap they left some behind to protect your time, should anyone try to invade whilst they are away." Legolas pointed out.

"Sounds like a plan Luna or Setsuna would have come up with," Serena mussed and sniffed again. "Their fukus are different too…" She rubbed her eyes and sniffed once more. "They _came_ for me!" She said softly as she looked up at the Moon again. She grinned.

"Uranus is on one of her rants again…she's saying how they should 'get the hell out of that place and quit with the pleasantries and start looking for me.'" She frowned, wringing her hands out before her. "But I'm right here!" She wailed. "I'm watching you!" But even as she said it, the image in the Moon began to fade…

"**No**!" Serena took two quick steps forward before Boromir and Legolas both gripped an arm and kept her from going any further. "No, no, no! Let me see my friends again!" She shouted at the Moon. "_Let me see them_!" She fell to her knees, sniffling and sobbing loudly as she pounded the ground with her fists. Boromir knelt beside her, every bit a concerned big brother, and pulled her into his arms. Gimli and Agagorn glanced up at the moon, while Legolas's eyes remained on the distraught young girl as he knelt on one knee as well and brushed a strand of her hair off her forehead and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The human and the elf exchanged glances over the still shaking form of the lunarian girl, both having the same thoughts; _Why this girl? Why did she have to bear so much?_ But they both knew the answer; she was forced to endure through things that no one should have to for the same reason a hobbit was forced to become responsible for destroying the most evil article in the universe.

Fate was a cruel, cruel thing.

Despite their weariness after the battle, Saturn, Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Frodo, Sam, and the wizard Gandalf headed immediately away from the remains of the Orc camp, going as quietly and stealthy as they could, not saying a word. Soon enough they found a cave that lead into a cavern that wasn't deep enough to promote the possibility of any ogre, troll, or goblins anywhere near, but not high enough that the light from the fire they erected would be seen.

"Guess it's story time, eh?" Mars spoke up once they were all settled around the fire. Mercury began sifting through the packs they had grabbed, the ones that had still been semi-intact, and began passing around portions of what little food there was.

"I suppose that would be the rational thing to do at this moment," Gandalf said, accepting the foil encased bar of freeze dried potatoes, ham, gravy, and peas. "But first," Said the Wizard, looking over the object. "Would one of you care to explain how we are to eat this?" The Senshi exchanged looks; his tone and raised eyebrow were too much, and they laughed, then the laughter was redoubled when they took in both Frodo and Sam's bewildered expressions as well.

"It's a…specially prepared food from…our homeland, made so that it will stay fresh for several years." Mercury explained as Saturn took Gandalf's freeze dried delicacy and tore off the top of the package and handed it back to him after pushing up the crunchy-looking bar so it was visible. Raye did the same for the Hobbits. They each took a tentative taste, surprise overcoming their features before they thanked the Senshi warmly, whom were all still transformed.

"Aren't you cold in those…that…er…those clothes?" Sam asked. "Even with the fire?"

"It's part of our transformation, that we're able to withstand extreme weather," Uranus said briskly. This seemed sufficient an explanation for the time being.

"Back to Miss Mars' statement, I suppose 'tis time for a round of more detailed introductions," Gandalf, handing his empty wrapper to Mercury, who stuffed it in a trash compartment in the bag. "An explanation that includes what children such as yourself, however obviously skilled in defending yourselves, are doing in Mordor."

"Hey, guests first," Uranus said, leaning against a rock and crossing her arms and ankles. The expressions on hers and Mars and even Mercury's face made it abundantly clear that they would not breath a word about their mission till they knew what the wizard and two 'shorties' intentions were.

"Very well," Gandalf said. "Frodo, show them the Ring." Frodo hesitated, then, with a great solemness, pulled something out from under his shirt and over his head. Holding it up to dangle from the chain held tightly in his fist, the firelight glanced off the unnaturally shiny surface of an unmarked gold band. Simple, and yet breathtakingly lovely, as if it held the entire universe within its golden radiance.

"That's no ordinary Ring." Saturn breathed after a moment.

"No crap, Sherlock, want a cookie?" Mars muttered sarcastically. But even her barb wasn't as full-hearted as usual.

"How odd…" Mercury said. "It…it calls to me…" She whispered. Immediately Gandalf moved to tell Frodo to put it away.

"Oh, don't worry," Mars said with a roll of her eyes. "If any of us really wanted it you'd all be dead. We wouldn't be very good Senshi if we couldn't resist the call of Evil. Believe me, we've had much sweeter offers from the side of evil than this little thing is whispering to me."

"What is it made of?" Saturn asked, suddenly looking a bit like the curious child she should be.

"No one knows," Sam shrugged.

"I think I might," Mercury spoke up after a moment of thoughtful silence. She held out her hand. "May I?" Frodo hesitated. Mercury, for a moment, didn't understand, and frowned. "Listen, you heard Mars," She said politely. "I don't-" She stopped, her eyes having locked with Frodo's. She understood. It wasn't that Frodo didn't trust her, it was that he had felt the lull of the Ring for so long, and he didn't want anyone else to be exposed to it as he was, even if he knew she could resist it. Mercury was touched that he should be so thoughtful towards her, a stranger, even though she was sure it would have been a great relief to him to let someone else bear the burden of holding it, even for a few moments.

"Very well," She said. "Just come sit by me, please and hold it up in your hand." Glancing at Gandalf, Frodo obliged, settling himself beside the sapphire haired beauty. Mercury pinched her earlobe, and for moment Sam and Frodo both dismissed it as simply relieving herself of an itch, until, as a result of that act, a sheet of dark blue tinted, arched, curved glass appeared over her eyes. Not only that, but a small, flat, rectangle compact appeared in her hands. She opened it, pressed a button, and a small section within the center of the mark that was on the lid of the compact, the same symbol that was on her forehead, disappeared. A slender blue beam of light shot out of the small hole to shine down on the Ring, giving it an eerie glow.

Holding the compact in one hand, Mercury's other hand began moving rapidly and gracefully over the bottom inside flap of the compact, hitting small squares that sank and rose each time she pressed and released it.

"What sort of bloody contraption is that?" Sam gasped.

"It's my data computer," Mercury said simply. "Don't ask me to explain." She said distractedly as she continued scanning, as the Senshi recognized what she was doing. A few moments later, a beeping sound emitted from the small blue compact, causing Sam to glare at it, Frodo to blink in surprise, and the look of fascination on Gandalf's face to heighten.

"Just as I thought," Mercury said with satisfaction. She turned on Frodo.

"Where did you get this, and who made it?" She demanded in a most un-Ami/Mercury like fashion.

"I thought that was supposed to be my line," Uranus said, amused. Mercury ignored her. Frodo looked to Gandalf, who nodded. Mars frowned. _Does the shortie look to that old guy for permission to breathe, too?_ She thought with annoyance.

"It's a long story," Frodo warned.

"We've got plenty of time," Saturn reassured him, settling herself beside him and giving his hand a brief squeeze before pulling away. Frodo frowned, then, with a sigh, began to tell a tale that sounded, to the Senshi, like something out of a classical best seller novel or trilogy from Europe.

(**AN:** _Yes, pun intended. *wink*_)

Starting with the retelling of what few, vague things were known about the making of the Rings of Power and the Master Ring, all the way to how the Master Ring had, against its will, fallen into the hands of Frodo's uncle, then to Frodo himself. Then to the just-in-time flight from his home to Rivendell, where a quest to destroy the Ring had been set in motion, Frodo volunteering for the task, a team dubbed 'The Fellowship' deployed to assist him.

Saturn sniffled at his retelling of the battle that had took Boromir's life. How Boromir had died, exactly, he did not know, all he knew was that, somehow, he did know the warrior had died. How he didn't know if Merry and Pippin's sacrifice had left them dead, if the rest of the Fellowship was still alive, or not.

Silence reigned for a moment after he'd finished, the fire flickering with the grace of a deadly dance.

"This Master Ring…" Mars started, staring into the fire. "It's the Ring that's in your hand right now, isn't it?" Frodo nodded.

"Does anyone know exactly what it is that gives this Ring the extra 'umph' to be the Master of all other Rings?" Uranus asked. For this question, it was Gandalf that gave the answer.

"The only theory we have is that this Ring was made for Sauron and Sauron alone," Gandalf said wearily. "Whereas the other Rings could generally be used by just about anyone. Without having to waste so much of the Ring's power on making sure any and all could use it, it left up more room for just raw, evil power."

"Mercury?" Frodo noticed the odd look on the blue haired girl's face. Mercury started, then grinned slightly. She looked to Gandalf, then to the Ring. 

"As good a theory as that is, Mr. Gandalf," Mercury said in a voice that was eerily soft, sure, and solemn. "That is not either the only nor the main reason for why this Ring is the One Ring."

"Oh?" Gandalf raised an eyebrow.

"Mind letting us in on the party, Sherlock?" Mars growled. Mercury nodded, taking the Ring from Frodo's hand and weighing it. She hissed as an image bombarded her, and she doubled over in the pain that resisting the image brought her…

_*I will not bend to your will!*_ Mercury cried with all her heart at the eye of fire that bore into her heart and soul_. *None of us will! Ever! Don't even try! Serenity will defeat you! Be wary, Sauron! Your end is near, I promise you! The secret flaw of your beloved Ring is known. Your trap has failed! Now, release me! Be silent!!!*_

With a final whisper promising eternal agony for defying him, the voice and presence of Sauron was gone.

Mercury, gasping, snapped her eyes open as her mind and spirit was yanked back to her body and the real world.

"Ami-chan?" Saturn was beside her, hand on her arm. Frodo was also beside her, having slapped the Ring from her hand. Mercury took in a few gasps of air, then smiled. She looked at Saturn, and the younger girl's eyes widened. They both looked to Mars and Uranus, and, one by one, they all smiled the feral smile of satisfied predators that had just found a back door into their prey's hide out.

"What just happened?" Sam asked. Mars smirked.

"Mercury just gave that big bad fire eye you guys fear so much a boot in the ass, that's what." Mars grinned.

"Not quite, Mars," Mercury whipped her brow, chuckling at the shocked expression on Sam's face. "But I do believe he'll leave us alone for the time being."

"Why did he attack you?" Gandalf asked. "You had not even put the Ring on."

"He knows that I know the one thing that he fears someone would find out," Mercury came precariously close to smirking. Uranus grinned.

"What might that be?" Gandalf demanded. The Senshi grinned, and Mercury picked up the One Ring from where it lay in the dirt. She rubbed it between her fingers, tossed it, then caught it again, grinning.

"Guys," She said, addressing the wizard and the hobbits as well. "I know why this Ring is the Master Ring, and it's not because it had extra memory space to fit in an extra evil file." She grinned, and then laughed outright, before turning to Gandalf and Frodo and Sam. "Gentleman, I believe our quests just became one and the same."

"What do you mean?" Frodo asked breathlessly. Mercury smiled.

"She means, shortie, that she figured out why this Sauron dude let you get as far into Mordor as you have." Uranus snorted. "Think about it. The only way to destroy the Ring is to throw it into the same pit it was made in? I don't think so. If this lava is magic, it's probably evil magic. So did any of you geniuses stop to think that maybe the 'knowledge' that Mount Doom was the only place the Ring could be destroyed was only a rumor? A trap? That maybe throwing it into the same fires it was made in would actually make it stronger?"

"I confess none of us have ever considered that." Gandalf granted after a moment.

"What a mistake we almost made…" Frodo breathed.

"Mistake!" Sam gasped. "That's too light a word! We almost 'anded the most powerful object in existence t' the Dark Lord 'imself! We might as well 'ave wrapped it with a bow and everythin'!"

"As interesting a picture that makes, I'd rather not think about it," Frodo was definitely paler than he'd been a moment ago. His eyes widened in horror. "But if the fires of Mount Doom won't destroy it," He took the Ring from Mercury, staring at it, laying so serenely his hand… "Then what will?"

"Again, I say that I believe our two quests have become conjoined," Mercury said with a gentle smile. "I believe the one person that can destroy what you now hold in your hand, Frodo Baggins, is the same person that we are here to find."

"Care to explain?" Gandalf frowned lightly. Mars laughed.

"She's talking about our Princess, Grey," The priestess grinned. "The only one alive that can handle, craft, mold, and destroy what makes your trinket so special."

"I still don't-"

"Moongold, birdbrain," Uranus snapped at Sam. "She scanned the Ring, and it's made of Moongold. She means the thing that makes this Sauron's Ring the Master Ring that it's _made_ of Moongold. And only Princess Serenity can destroy it, because she's the only Lunarian left alive, let alone the only Royal Lunarian heir. And only a Royal Lunarian can wield or destroy Moongold. We may not remember as much as Serenity does from the Silver Millennium but we remember that much. So now you get it?"

Sam nodded vigorously.

"So, I say for the final time," Mercury said in the silence that followed. "I believe our two quests have just become one; find the Princess Serenity."

High atop Mount Doom, deep inside the belly of the fortress that had once been known as Baraduil, now called Bara-dur, an evil stirred. It was stirred by the presence of something familiar…the evil had ignored it, till now, when it had flared too brightly to be ignored any longer.

Evil knew that light… Evil had once possessed that light, in all but spirit. Evil had once been it's master…

With a rumble that echoed throughout the fortress, Evil's bidding was made known, and nine figures of nightmares were unleashed…

**To Be Continued…**

**NOTICE:**

This chapter is dedicated to **Chibi Arwen**, who went so far as to start her own Sailor Moon/Lord of the Rings crossover, which she says is inspired by 'Will of the Ring.' *tears* I'm so honored! And take note everyone, that in the very first chapter and in several other parts throughout the story she gave me credit. That makes the difference between my being flattered/giving her eternal hugs (*hugglez Chibi Arwen-chan*) and my flaming from here to the Moon. Thanks, girl!

Second… 

**To Final-Fan**, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your review that gave so much valuable information regarding how Gandalf came back in the Two Towers. I was seriously considering going back and rewriting chapter six, but… When I got to thinking about, if I were to go back and replace my version with what really happened in the book, it would give away a major plot twist to those who haven't read the book/seen the movie but plan to in the future. And for those that have read the book, they already know that version, so what would be the point of my duplicating it? This **_is_** an Alternate Universe fic. So while I must once again thank you deeply for your insight, I must say that I plan to keep my version of the Gandalf-resurrection the way it is.

Okay, now for the Authors Notes to the rest of you lovely people…

**A)** Yes, there will be much more Serena/Legolas romance in future chapters, just bear with me**;** I'm trying to make the relationship believable!

**B)** Yes, Gandalf still becomes the White.

**C) **Yes, the Nazgul will be making an appearance shortly.

**D)** Yes, this fic is Serena-centered and will become more so once all characters are together.

**E)** I very much doubt I will be bringing any more Senshi to the past**;** I'm already juggling fourteen main characters, people!

I know this chapter was a bit…boring, mostly talk and not much action, but please remember this is a complicated story I am dealing with, and a lot of explaining will need to be done. And I promise **_lots_** of Serena/Legolas romance later on; I **_love_** romance! I just find it unrealistic that so practical a person as Legolas would let a relationship begin under such perilous circumstances, so once things calm down, I promise lots of mush and sweetness.

So, with all that said, until next time, minna-chans! Ja ne!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY**


	9. Chapter Eight: Missing You

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Eight**

_by Makura Koneko_

**Big Thanks to:**

_Okay, since there were simply too many people to thank individually (67, to be exact. ^^;), I'm just putting a_

_big thank you up to EVERYONE who reviewed!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!! **-Makura**_

"Where do you think we're headed?" The short, dirty, gaunt-faced, heavily bruised hobbit asked his

companion, an equally weary and beat-up hobbit that resembled him enough -at least under all the dirt and

grime- that one would correctly guess they were related.

"Northeast, I know that much," Merriadoc Brandybuck said softly, so as not to attract the attention of the

good twenty or so Orcs surrounding a roaring fire. About half of original fifty had left after a large

commotion stirred up by something neither Pippin nor Merry knew the identity of. For a while they had

been fearful that Strider and Gimli and Legolas had come after them…perhaps a scout had spotted one of

them… But they soon realized that if they had been caught, they would be dead. And since the half of the

Orcs had not returned, they had stopped hoping, although they weren't sure why, only knowing that any

hope of any sort was difficult to maintain for long around such vile creatures.

Pippin shivered. They, Merry and Pippin, were tied to a tree far enough away so that no heat or warmth

reached them on this chilly night, but close enough so that they were clearly illuminated.

"Towards the Shire, do you think?" Pippin asked after a moment, just as softly. The Quest to destroy the

Ring had given the playful, immature and childish hobbit a reason to grow up quickly, and grow up he had.

No more was the 'fool of a Took' that had caused the chain of events that had lead to Gandalf's death.

"In that general direction," Merry confirmed. "I think."

"Do you think the Dark Lord means to take over the Shire?" Pippin asked.

"What for?" Merry shrugged. "We have no weapons, we cannot fight, we have nothing he wants, not

anymore. Why not Gondor, or Eriador?"

"The Shire is _in_ Eriador." Pippin pointed out. "Mayhap they mean to start with the Shire. Build themselves a

headquarters, or something, then take over the rest of the country. You said so yourself, hobbits can't fight.

It'd be an easy place to take over."

Merry didn't have the strength to be surprised at his cousin's startling insight, and only shrugged once more.

Pippin saw this, and tried to blink back tears. It was no use; the salty liquid coursed tiny rivulets down his

face, washing away some of the dirt along with it so that pale, slender streaks of dirty skin were seen

coursing down his face.

They needed help…soon… He didn't know how much longer he or Merry could hold out. Pippin turned his

tear and mud streaked face up to the full moon that was visible above them, like a beacon of bright, silver

hope.

_Please…_ Pippin found himself thinking, as if the Moon could relay his prayer and bring help. _Please,_

_someone come, quick…_

The Dark Creature sniffed deeply, a sound that reeked of evil intentions. The massive beast beneath him,

midnight black flank torn and bleeding, nails sticking out of its hooves and caring about neither atrocity of

its condition, snorted and stomped. 

The Dark Creature, its multitudes of flowing, ebony black material that was it's cascading cloak of

darkness, turned its head upwards, and hissed at the moonlight that struck it, but did not look away. The

Moon flickered.

The Creature hissed to its mount, and the changed direction, not daring to call out to its brethren that it had

found their prey, for the sake of alerting that same prey to its nearing presence…

"You're certain it was them? Those girls you saw…in the Moon?" Aragorn asked the girl sitting against the

wall of the cave with her knees brought up against her chest with her arms wrapped around herself. She

looked at him with big, round sapphire eyes. Boromir sat down beside her.

"We only want to be sure it was really them and not some…some illusion that your magics conjured up out

of your desire to see them." He said.

"There's another reason you're trying to be sure," Serena said, tightening her arms around her knees. "I can

feel it." Boromir and Aragorn exchanged glances, before the two of them each looked at Gimli and Legolas.

"For another matter, you all got really weird whenever I mentioned mother or Senshi or me being Princess

Serenity, or the Silver Alliance…" Serena looked at them all. "What's with that?"

"I think it is time we tell the Butterfly a bit of our own land's mythology," Gimli chuckled. Automatically

all eyes turned towards Legolas; as an elf, he would logically know the most about what he was about to

explain. Suppressing a sigh, he sat down beside Serena, against the wall, on the other side of her than

Boromir was on.

"Highness-" He started.

"Serena." She said firmly. "And since when have you called me 'highness?' I haven't been a Princess for

several millennia, thank you very much."

"Pardon my error," Legolas grinned. "But do you wish to hear the answers to your questions, or not, my

lady?"

"None of that 'lady' stuff, either!" Serena poked him in the ribs. "But yeah I do. Go on."

"Thank you," Legolas, seemingly quite out of character even to his own friends, returned the gesture of

poking the small girl in the ribs. She squealed and scooted closer to Boromir, who laughed and put a

protective arm around her. Serena smirked at Legolas and stuck her tongue out. Legolas only grinned.

"Among the elves," Legolas started. "We have a theory concerning the events surrounding the creation of

the Rings of Power and the One Ring. Around that time, three thousand years ago, there was a universal

empire much like the one you've described to us. We call it the Silver Empire. I don't know if 'Silver

Millennium' is correct because we have no idea how long the Silver Empire was in existence, and we don't

know if it still exists or not.

"See, around the One Ring was created, all Lunarians vanished at the same time their Queen disappeared.

Their Princess, the daughter of the Moon Queen, we think was either married or engaged or at least involved

with someone close to Sauron, perhaps even Sauron himself. She left, too, and we assume took up her

mother's place. We don't think they died, because when a Lunarian dies she or he leaves magical residue

behind."

 "Boy…that soooo explains why you guys got all…_weird_ when I said my name was Serenity and my

mother's name was Queen Selenity." Serena mussed. "I'll bet the name of that Queen was Selene, and the

princess was Selenity, huh? My mom…weird…so now I know why Mother always feared and yet longed

for the Earth… She knew about the evil dude Sauron and his freaky ring, but she also had to leave my dad

behind because of it… She must have been so sad…" She perked as a thought entered her mind. "Hey,

y'know, 'bout the Lunarians dying thing, Mina-chan did once point out that in every place I'd ever died –the

Moon, the North Pole, the center of where the Dark Crystal Palace had been, and where I defeated Galaxcia-

there was always a single white flower growing. No matter if the ground was cement, stone, or ice." Serena

said in a curiously thoughtful voice.

"You did not know this about your own race?" Boromir asked incredulously. Serena blushed sheepishly and

shook her head.

"I don't have all my memories from my life as Princess Serenity." She said. "Just the important ones. Not

too many details. Well, actually, 'not too many details' was until a few weeks ago, when every night I'd

have a dream that revealed about five hundred years of my life per night, which is super weird…one of

those super-fast mental brain nerve firing thingamajig functions, I guess… Ami-chan explained it to me

once, but I guess I forgot." Again, she grinned sheepishly. "I guessed that, before I'd come here, my dreams

had covered about three thousand years of my life, since the last dream I had was at my three thousandth

birthday…but now I'm thinking I remembered it wrong, and it was probably more like _thirty_-thousand."

"Th-thirty-thousand?" Gimli sputtered as after recovering from choking on his mouthful of water. Serena

fidgeted, feeling eyes on her, and looked at Legolas to see the most odd look on his face…

"That makes you almost as old as Lady Galadriel." Legolas said in an odd tone of voice.

(**AN:** _I have no idea how old Galadriel is, but let's just pretend she's around fifty thousand, k_? **-Makura**)

"Who?" Serena asked.

"You'll meet her," Aragorn said. "Lothlorien is just close enough to Isengarde that we will probably take

refuge there once we rescue the halflings."

"Cool!" Serena said brightly. "Is she pretty? What's she like? How old is she? Is she related to you,

Legolas? Is she royalty? Is she married?"

Gimli was engulfed in garruffing laughter as Aragorn shook his head, Boromir laughed outright and

Legolas's mouth was quirked an amused grin that reminded Serena strongly of Darien…

Serena swallowed, forgetting her questions, and looked away from the elf's face, blinking back tears.

Even over a year after _his_ death, the thought of him still brought tears…

_Oh, Darien, I wish you were here…_

The Dark Creature sniffed again; it had not needed to summon its brethren, after all. They, too, had seen the

Moon flicker, and knew what it meant. They, too, had picked up on the scathing scent of Light, and had

followed it. Through the treeline it spotted two of its companions to its right, and to its left, six more.

Their prey was near…

Trying to shake of the foreboding, dark, sick feeling that overcame her -she assumed it was a result of the

depressing thoughts of her deceased fiancé- she never noticed the concerned look in Legolas's eyes, as well

as the glimmerings of something else… But she felt those eyes on her, sure as she felt both the sickly

foreboding sensation grow, along with the trickle of…of being _needed_, the same as she had felt when she

had first seen Boromir near death… She gasped…a piercingly bright light overtook her…

She screamed.

"Serena!" Boromir cried out as she stood, screamed again as the light flashed brighter. All but Legolas were

forced to look away. Glancing painfully between the fingers of his outstretched hands, even the elf had to

blink rapidly to keep from going blind as he walked through the light to the sobbing, choking girl.

Serena whimpered. "It hurts…" She fell against him, and he caught her, scooping her up tightly and running

outside with her securely in his arms.  The others, grabbing what they could, followed, all of them thinking

the same two things; what was wrong with sapphire eyed princess, and what were the chances of any evil

near by missing that burst of purity? Very low, and they knew it, and so they fled.

They burst out of the opening of the small hedge-tunnel, scratched and bleeding from being careless in their

haste of the thorns, right into the middle of a nightmare.

"Now that we have decided that you are indeed correct in assuming we will all now endeavor to find this

Princess of yours," Gandalf said. "I believe I should raise up my earlier inquiry; what are children such as

you -however well you seem to be able to defend yourselves- doing getting yourselves captured by Orcs in

Mordor?"

"First off," Mercury said. "We may look and physically be children, but technically, we are each well over

three thousand years old. We shall explain how that is on a later date." Her tone said 'no arguments.' And

no arguments were made.

"Second, to get right to the point, as I believe you should have put together by now, we are here for one

purpose, and one purpose only; to find the Princess." Mars said. "We transported ourselves nearby, about a

two days walk in that direction." Mars waved an arm over towards the exit.

"South." Mercury specified. "We think. We do not reside anywhere near here, so we are not sure." Gandalf

only nodded.

"Who exactly is this Princess you speak of?" Frodo asked. "And how did she end up here?"

"Our Princess was…well, she ended up somewhere in one of the nearby lands, we don't know which."

Mercury said, embarrassed at her lack of knowledge. "By way of a sort of…transportation of complex

nature. Because of this nature, we were unable to locate her from our previous location. We hoped that once

we actually got to…well…what do you call the land that this…Mordor resides in?"

"Middle-Earth, you mean?" Sam asked, a curious expression on his face. What an odd question the blue

haired girl asked…

"Yes, thank you." Mercury smiled at him, but a pink lilt stained her cheeks when she briefly caught Frodo's

eyes, and she looked away. "As I was saying, we hoped to pinpoint her whereabouts in a more detailed

fashion once we actually reached Middle-Earth, by way of something similar to that which you saw us use

defending ourselves. We call it Tellesocoteleporation."

"Telocao-what?" Sam sputtered. Mercury giggled at his befuddled expression.

"Short for 'Telepathic Specific Telekinetic Location Teleporation.'" She said.

"We just call it Tassle." Hotaru laughed. "Or at least, we used to. Actually, more like the Inners used to. The

Outers -Setsuna, Haruka, and Michiru and I never really used it."

"We were always using Tassle to locate Serenity when she snuck down to Earth to visit Endymion," Mars

shook her head. "Which was a lot, so we got pretty darn good at Tassle."

"We're hoping that we haven't lost our touch in finding her." Mercury said.

"Interesting…" Gandalf said, rolling a small, smooth stone around in his hands as he looked at Mercury,

then Saturn, then Uranus -who glared- and then Mars -who also glared, and then into the fire with a

thoughtful look on his face.

"Mr. Gandalf?" Mercury asked. Gandalf shook his head.

"Nevermind my old man's wandering attention," He said good-naturedly. "Go on, please. So you're looking

for this Princess, and you plan to use this 'Tassle' technique to locate then transport yourselves to her? I

must ask, how did she get here in the first place? Do you have any idea where she could be? Mordor,

Gondor, Lothlorien?"

"As I said, we have no idea. All we knew was that she was in…Middle-Earth," Mercury shook her head.

"We hoped to locate her once we got here."

"How?" Sam piped up. "I mean, how exactly does this 'Tassle' work?" 

The Senshi exchanged glances.

"Now's as good a time as any, I suppose," Mercury sighed. Uranus gave a cry and leaped to her feet.

"'Bout time!" Mars smirked, crossing her arms as Hotaru and Mercury dusted themselves off as they stood.

"Think we can pull enough power to bring them with us?" Mars said, jerking her head towards the trio that

had stood along with them. Uranus glared at her, and Mars glared back. "We can't exactly leave them

behind, not here, not in this place." Mars snapped. Uranus scowled and looked away.

"Only one way to find out," Mercury said. "I can put up some safety parameters to make sure that if we

don't make it to Serena, we'll only be dropped halfway there instead of in the middle of subspace. Then

we'll just rest up and jump the rest of the trip."

"Meaning you're gonna make it so that worse comes to worse we'll have to make two jumps to Serena

instead of one?" Mars asked. Mercury rolled her eyes and nodded. Mars smirked.

"Good," She said. "That I can grasp." Mercury only chuckled and pulled out her data computer once more,

and began setting up the aforementioned parameters.

"C'mon, already!" Uranus snapped. Mercury gave her a warning glance, did a few more keystrokes, and a

string of light sprouted from the computer to loop around them all, flash, then vanished.

"There," Mercury snapped her mini data computer shut, and it fizzed in her hands and disappeared. "Done."

"What do we do?" Sam asked, both a bit frightened/nervous and excited at the same time.

"First off…" Mercury cupped her hands together, closed her eyes, and her hands began to glow that same

misty ice blue… She tipped her cupped hands as if she were tipping a bowl… And crystalline, flowing

water poured out of her hands in thick, steady stream until the fire beneath her hands was completely

extinguished, not even the tiniest curl of smoke to show for the blaze that had been there previously.

"Now can we go?" Uranus growled. Mercury nodded as Saturn giggled.

"Stand here," Mars commanded, pointing to a spot on the ground. Gandalf, Sam, and Frodo obliged without

a word, and the four Senshi formed a tight circle around the back-to-back trio. "Now just stand-" Mars

stiffened, her eyes widening as they filled with an intense fire, her mouth going firm and tight.

"Hurry." She said. "They've found us!" As she said this, the cry of something not human, and not Orc

screamed out.

"Swamp Troll…" Gandalf murmured as his brow furrowed into a frown.

"Let's go!" Uranus snapped, and their arms all snapped out to grasp each other's hands quickly and tightly.

Four heads were bowed, four forms were encased in shimmering shrouds of pale yellow, dark purple, flame

red and ice blue light, four cries of power were whispered on the winds of time, the four lights flashed, and a

portal through eternity and time was opened…

The Wizard Gandalf, the Hobbits Frodo and Sam, and the Four Senshi disappeared just as an entire army of

Orcs and three Swamp trolls poured into the cave.

"The Lunarian belong_sss_ to _hhhhim_…give her to u_sssss_…." The Dark Rider hissed in a voice that was

sickly familiar.

"She is under our protection, Nazgul filth!" Gimli roared. Discreetly, Boromir, Aragorn, and –all

brandishing their weapons of choice- stepped in front of Legolas, whom still held a now unconscious Serena

in his arms.

"Go back to your Dark Lord and tell him the Lunarian Princess is his enemy, our friend, and beyond his

reach as long as she is so." Aragorn's voice was calm to the point of being deadly.

"_Ssss_heeee belong_sssss_ to _hhhim_…" Whether it was the same one that had spoken, or a different one, was

unclear, and didn't particularly matter, as the beast-mounted Ring Wraiths began to close in… One of them

slipped around to the back, blocking any retreat back into the cave.

"Protect the little Butterfly at all costs, elf," Gimli growled to Legolas at his back.

"Have no fear of my disagreeing," Legolas murmured, glancing down at the girl in his arms…

"When I give the signal, we attack," Aragorn murmured quietly, just loud enough so that the others could

hear. "We'll try and catch them off guard. It's our only chance. Legolas, when we do, take Serenity and

_run_!"

Legolas's only reply was an affirmative nod, his eyes never wavering from the foes that surrounded them.

"La_ssss_t ch_aaaaaa_nce, mortal_ssss_…" The slithery hiss bit down to their very souls. "Hand over the Dark

Prince_sssss_…"

"Dark Princess?" Legolas echoed. He glared, his voice precariously near a snarl. "She is light itself! How

dare you call her otherwise!"

"_Ssss_he belong_sss_ to the Dark Lord…" One of them hissed. "_Ssss_he ha_ssss_ evil in her that no one can

_ssss_eee… _Hhhh_e will bring it out…_hhhe_ will take from her what is _hhhissss_…What _hhher_ mother denied

_hhhim_…"

Aragorn frowned, but said nothing, preparing to give his signal…

"Senshi…" Serena murmured, stirring in Legolas's grip. The Nazgul hissed, pulling away as if both her

voice and the word she had spoken was acid to them. They retaliated in the most unexpected way…

Fire erupted from their hands, black fire, rushing to swirl and spiral and rage around Legolas and Serena.

Serena screamed as an evil voice, a voice all of them knew al to well began whispering to her…

"No!" She cried out in tears. "No, it's not true! Leave me alone! _Senshi_!"

_We're here, our Princess…_ Four voices whispered over the rumble that was the voice of Sauron.

_We're coming!_

_Hold on, Serenity…_

_Don't you dare give in, Koneko!_

_Just a little longer, Usa-baka, then we'll kick his Dark Lord butt!_

As the last voice faded away, the fire around Serena intensified as Legolas fought to keep his hold on her as

she lashed around, forcing him to go to his knees and hold her tightly against him in an attempt to stopper

her thrashing.

"Senshi…" She whimpered.

"Come one, Serena, stay with me," Legolas told her, touching her cheek. She froze, then suddenly relaxed,

and smiled as four pillars of yellow, purple, red, and blue light flashed into existence, each one of them at

the corners of a square shaped cage of light that suddenly surrounded them.

Serena opened her eyes, and it was the most beautiful sight Legolas had ever seen, and had not the situation

not been so dire, he would have let himself sigh and smile with relief. He settled for scooping her up against

him and hugging her tight. She put her arms around his neck and returned the embrace. She pulled away,

and for the first time both of them noticed she was once again in the frothy, milky white gown with the

golden embroidered strapless bodice.

"Senshi Power Guard!" Four voices cried out, and all four pillars flashed, and the glow of the 'cage'

intensified. The Nazgul screamed and backed off, but did not flee, not even as four women encased in the

pillars of light flared their arms out to their sides, aiding in the formation of the sparkling grid that formed a

shield around them.

"Senshi!" Serena cried out.

"Long time no see, Odango," The woman shrouded in the red light winked at her over her shoulder. "Now

just give us a minute and we'll be out of here. Any place you wanna go?"

"Let my join the Circle, and I'll guide the transportation!" She said intensely.

"No way, Koneko," The woman in the sunset yellow light growled. Without warning, all the Nazgul leaped

off their mounts and lashed forward, swords drawn, at the sparkling wall that separated them from their

prey.

"You gotta let me!" Serena pleaded. Legolas held on to her as she tried to pull out of his grasp to stand.

"We will risk no harm to you, Butterfly," Gimli told her, battle-ax at the ready as the Nazgul, screeching,

threw themselves at the barrier once more.

"Guys, please!" Serenity pleaded. "You don't have the strength to teleport us all out of here! Not with those

guys you brought along with you! Not without me!"

It was then that Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas took notice of the three males that had appeared

along with the four pillars of light.

"Gandalf!" Legolas said, slightly wide eyed at the wizard that looked haggard and worn, two Hobbits,

swords drawn, beside him.

"We meet again, my friends," The wizard, cheerful as always, greeted them as the Nazgul attacked again.

The smallest of the four women, a young girl encased in a pillar of dark purple light, screamed and

stumbled.

"Hotaru!" Serenity screamed. She stood and made to move towards her friend, but again Legolas held her

back as the Nazgul thrust their swords at the barrier, as if attempting to penetrate it. Their swords bounced

back, but the barrier flickered and the woman in yellow grunted, and the one in blue gasped.

"Mercury!" Frodo stepped forward, but Gandalf's arm blocked him. "Do not touch her!" He said. "We don't

know what affect it will have!"

"Senshi, please!" Serena sobbed. "Let me help!" She gripped her locket as she began to glow silver.

"_Daaaaughter of Ssssauron_…" The Nazgul hissed. "Do not deny your _faaate_…come with _usss_, _Princesssss_

_of Darknessss_…"

"If anyone's a princess of darkness, it's me!" The one Serena had called 'Hotaru' screamed out. She fell to

one knee, and, with a grunt, pulled her arm out of the shimmering net that was the barrier, and thrust her

arm out behind her towards Serena. Serena, grinning, eyes shining, reached out and grasped Hotaru's hand,

and the four pillars of light flashed as Serena burst into an array of silver and gold light.

"_Saturn Purity Power_!"

"_Mercury Purity Power_!"

"_Uranus Purity Power_!"

"_Mars Purity Power_!"

"**_Silver…Purity…Power!_**"

A rainbow flared into existence in the middle of an unnamed woodland at the edge of Mordor, and deep

inside Bara-dur, Sauron screamed in rage.

A portal was opened, and all Four Senshi, the Moon Princess, and the Fellowship disappeared into time and

eternity.

"Merry!" Pippin screamed as he awoke from a deep sleep to find himself staring at a dream of beauty…five

dreams of beauty, actually, each in the form of a breathtakingly beautiful angel shrouded in multi-colored

light and forming a shield around seven others. And just in front of him…

"Frodo!" Merry yelled as he spotted his friend. Frodo, sword in hand rushed through a hole that formed in

the barrier and ran towards them, grinning.

"Hurry!" He said as he slashed at their bonds. He grabbed them and hauled them up, and together the

threesome stumbled towards the group surrounded by the glowing angels. Another hole formed in the

barrier, and they leaped through it just as they were surrounded by a multitude of roaring, screaming Orcs.

"Hold on! It's going to be a bumpy trip!" The Ring-Bearer yelled to them over the noise of the Orcs.

"Hurry, my Senshi!" An angel in silver yelled, tears running down her face, Legolas holding her up from

behind as she closed one fist around something at her throat, her other hand grasping the smaller hand of the

girl in purple. "One last time, please!"

"Anything for you, koneko," The one in yellow said through gritted teeth. Each in turn, all five of the light

enshrouded women called out a phrase that made no sense to the bound hobbits, but was overflowing with

an ancient power purer than moonlight.

"Here we go!" Gimli gave a roar of exhilerant triumph as they were all pulled into a portal, and the thing at

Serena's throat that she'd been clutching flared with silver light as she raised her hand, a round crystal of

silver hovering above her palm and flashing like a star. At her throat, an open golden locket poured out a

melody that sang in their blood and made all evil on their path through time and space shy away in terror.

A portal raced towards them…

Screaming was heard…

And then there was nothing but blackness.

**To Be Continued…**

WOW!!!!! I had no intention of having them all get together so quickly!!! But, in my opinion, I think this

was my best chapter yet!!! Phew! I got an adrenaline rush just writing that jump-jump-run-run-yell-yell-

agic-magic in such a fast-paced sequence! I hope you all enjoyed! I sure had fun writing it!

Once again, thanks to all whom helped me get my floppy back!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_


	10. Chapter Nine: Love & Promises

The Will of the Ring Chapter Nine 

_by Makura Koneko_

I was aware, but I was not awake. I was seeing, but I had no eyes. I felt the winds of time and space, but I had no

body…

"This is definitely ranking a ten on the freak-o-meter…" I muttered, surprised to find that I even had a voice. I

touched my hair; my 'odangos' were still in place, my hair as silver as it had been when I had been Princess Serenity

of the Silver Moon Kingdom; not a single trace of gold anywhere.

I 'heard' someone behind me. Not so much as they made a sound or moved, but I just suddenly became aware of

their existence, like I was hearing their emotions… I turned, and my eyes bulged and I gasped. Laying in a bed with

four, tall posts made of spiraling vines of silver and pearl, with a soft white coverlet over her, was me! Or at least, my body…

_Oh my god!_ I panicked…Was I…dead? No, no…I forced myself to calm, and saw that my body was still

breathing. God, I looked so pale! Icky…

I had to find my friends, I suddenly realized. Whatever was going on, they'd be able to tell me… I looked for a

door, but before I even found it, I felt myself fading. Was I dying, now? I shut what ghost-eyes I had, forcing myself

not to panic. Was I going back into my body? Oh, I hoped so…

I felt my transportation stop.

I peeked open one eye, prepared to scream my ghost-lungs out if anything icky jumped out at me… But instead I

squealed for joy.

"Guys!!!!" I cried. I wanted to dance! They were all around me, sitting on arched-up-out-of-the ground things that

looked like giant, silver roots and big rocks…the ground was covered in a soft silvery-blue moss that made a super

pretty carpet. To my left, between two huge trees –the roots of which Aragorn and Boromir were sitting on- I could

see a beautiful stream, almost big enough to be called a tiny river. On the other side of the mini river I could see

more beautiful ethereal looking trees, and more treehouses.

I looked away and examined my friends' faces when I realized they had not acknowledged me. Were they that

mad? I spotted Legolas, and my heart sang before falling again. He wasn't even looking at me! What had I done to

make them ignore me like this?

"Guys?" I asked, noting their solemn, sad expressions. What was going on? I bit down my panic again. Was any of

them hurt? Quickly I counted. Raye, Ami, Hotaru, Haruka –I winced; she did **_not_** look happy- Boromir, Aragorn, 

Gimli, Legolas –why the heck did my heart jump like that? The hobbits weren't there…I squeaked as panic

threatened to overcome me…were they hurt? And where was that tall old guy?

I forced myself to watch and listen as another elf dude that was most definitely some sort of guard came up to

Legolas. He and Legolas exchanged words in some super pretty language that I had not the slightest clue of how to

understand, and the elf-guard dude left.

"I have been informed that Galadriel will see us on the morrow," Legolas said after a moment. "Once we have

rested. Until then she says we have but to request anything we desire, and it shall be ours. She bids us rest and

replenish ourselves while our companions heal."

"Then I suppose 'tis time to play our Butterfly's game, eh?" Gimli said with forced false cheerfulness. I wanted to

hug him.

"Butterfly?" Haruka growled.

"My nickname for the princess," Gimli said gruffly, his beard hiding a slight flush. I giggled as Haruka grumbled and

scowled, but said nothing, for once.

"What game is this?" Ami asked.

"We ask a question, you answer," Aragorn said. "Then you ask a question, and we answer."

"Ah, that game," Raye grinned slightly. "Also know as a variation of Truth or Dare."

"Pardon?" Boromir asked.

"A popular game among teenage girls where we come from," Raye explained. "I'll tell you about it later, if you want."

"I think we'll pass." Gimli said stiffly, insulted that he might want to know how to play a girl child's game. Ami

grinned slightly, as did Hotaru. It was then that I realized that I really was some sort of ghost; they couldn't see me.

So I just stood and listened, for once.

"First question," Aragorn said. "Frodo still has the Ring. You were the last people to actually talk to him, since he

collapsed once we got here. Why does he still bear the Ring?"

Ami sighed. I was curious as to why this was, too, after all I'd heard about this evil piece of jewelry.

"I'll give you the short version." Ami said. My eyes widened. Boy, she must be really tired if she was just going to

give the simple explanation instead of the in-depth, much more information providing ones she usually did.

"**A)** The 'knowledge' that the Ring could only be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom was a trap, set out my

Sauron ages ago so that if anyone were able to resist the Ring and be able to set out to destroy it, they would only

end up bringing it right to him." She ignored the shocked expressions of the men and continued. "B) The Ring is

made of an alloy known as Moongold. There were only four pieces of Moongold ever found. Moongold is naturally

very magically potent, which is what gave the Ring, since it was made out of Moongold, its edge over all other Rings

of Power.

"**C)** Moongold is only found on the Moon, and can only be handled, crafted, molded, or destroyed by one of the

Lunarian Royal Family. Also, the magic of Moongold is naturally that of positive magic, good magic. I suspect it was

the good magic that was in the actual alloy that the Ring is made of that combated the evil in the Ring itself, keeping

it from Sauron as long as it did until it could summon the only one that could destroy it.

"**D)** Serena is the only living member of the Lunarian Royal Family. She was summoned here. You put the rest of

the pieces together."

Now I was worried. Ami must be really tired and upset to be this snappy!

_"_So you're saying that this Ring has a will of its own, Ami-chan?" Raye asked incredulously.

"Precisely." Ami confirmed. "The actual Ring itself 'wants' nothing more than to return to its master, to wreak havoc

on the world and plunge everything into darkness and shadow and evil. But the alloy of the ring, the Moongold,

wants the opposite, and thus it summoned Serena to destroy it so that what the Ring wants will never happen."

"So the One Ring has…two wills?" Boromir sought a more clear confirmation. Ami nodded. 

"Basically," The blue haired girl said. "The will of the Ring is to destroy all good, but the will of the Moongold is to

destroy all evil. I suspect these two wills have been conflicting since the day the Ring was created. But, luckily for all

of us, the true will of the Ring overcame the evil will, and managed to bring Serena over to this ti-" She had

hesitated. "To this time." She had finished.

"Serena mentioned she believed she was from the future," Legolas recalled. Ami looked surprised, and Raye

scowled.

"Trust that meatball head to so freely give away that bit of info," She grumbled. I stuck my tongue out at her, even

though I knew she couldn't see or hear me.

"So how exactly are you here from the future?" Gimli asked. "I get that what little good was in the Ring –though I

find that a bit hard to believe- brought Butterfly here, but how did _you_ all get here?"

"No asking questions out of turn," Haruka growled. I grinned. Gimli glowered peevishly, but said nothing more.

"Gandalf pretty much told us everything we need to know," Hotaru said. "But I do believe that we have all yet to be

formally introduced, so how about we all give introductions before we go on? Consider our question to be an

inquiry as to your identities, then we will explain how we followed our Princess. Okay?"

"Perfectly acceptable, lady." Boromir conceded after a nod from Aragorn.

"I'll start," Gimli volunteered, and he stood. "I am Lord Gimli, cousin to the late Lord of Moria, son of Gloin, a

Master among dwarves, sworn to the service of the Ring-Bearer, though if anyone touches either him or the

Butterfly, they'll face my ax and all my fury behind it." He gave a sort of salute with his battle-ax before fastening it

to his side once more and sitting down.

"I am Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood," Legolas told them. "My father is King there, and I, too, am sworn to the

service of the Ring-Bearer, though my protection also now extends to the Princess Serenity."

"I am known as the ranger Strider," Aragorn told them. "Though my birth name is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, king of

Gondor, and heir of Ilsildur. The Ring-Bearer and the Moon Princess both are under my ward."

"My name is Baron Boromir, and I am the son of the Steward of Gondor, whom is currently overseeing things until

Aragorn reclaims his throne. I am also sworn to assisting the Ring-Bearer, though my allegiance is first to my King,

and then to the Princess." He nodded to Aragorn, and threw a glance up the stairs behind me. I flushed and felt

tears in my eyes. These people felt like they owed their protection and allegiance to me? Part of me felt sad that

even more would be willing to die for me, and yet another, even larger part was thrilled that I had so many

wonderful friends…

"Name's Haruka Ten'ou," Haruka nodded to the males present. "Professional race car driver, test runner, and gold

medal Olympic champion in both the sprint and marathon run divisions." She didn't bother to explain what any of

these things were. "Also known as the Senshi of the Sky and Wind, Uranus."

"My name is Raye Hino," Raye said, tossing her long black braid over her hair as she leaned against a slender tree,

her right leg bent and her foot against the trunk of the tree, her hands tucked behind her after flipping her braid. "I

am a shinko –a shine maiden- at my grandfather's shinto shrine, and keeperof the Sacred fire, which goes in tune

with my duties as the Senshi of Fire and Passion, Mars."

"Ami Mizuno," Ami said. "My mother is a doctor, and I am studying to follow in her footsteps. In my spare time I

like to go to swim at the local gym. I am the Senshi of Ice and Wisdom, Mercury."

"Hotaru Tomoe," Hotaru said softly. "Um….as for background info… My mother died when I was born, and when

I was three I nearly died, and would have if my father hadn't… Er, that's another story, though. Haruka and

Michiru and Setsuna are my parents now. They raised me, and they and Serena taught me how to control the evil

side of my power as the Senshi of Destruction, Saturn." She stood and curtseyed. "Pleasure to meet you all."

"Likewise." Legolas said politely. Hotaru smiled gently at him. I giggled, wondering if maybe the young girl had a

crush on the elven prince… Why did that make me feel like my eyes were turning green?

"Now about the time travel," Boromir began. I wanted to listen, but I groaned as I felt myself being pulled at

again…I felt myself fade away from the presence of my friends, and I found myself again in the room I had first been

in. I felt myself drift towards my body…being pulled back to the world of the flesh…and as I was pulled, I began to

forget all I had heard and seen…

When I awoke, it was to a face that I felt I was more glad to see than I should be. Then again, Legolas had saved

my life –and my pride, on several of my blundering occasions. He touched my cheek with a cool cloth, and I

realized for the first time, as he said something gently and as I blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear my blurry eyes,

that I was in a bed.

"Where am I?" I tried to ask, but only ended up coughing weakly. The cloth retreated, and I closed my eyes to wait

for the fit to subside. I felt myself lifted and then laid against a familiar, upright chest. An arm encircled my waist and

another hand settled my head into the crook of a familiar shoulder. A hand gently guided a glass of water to my lips

as soon as the coughing had subsided enough for me to drink, and I did so. The first sip was a shock; not cold, but

so revitalizingly fresh that it _tasted_ crystalline.

"_Yulna, elle nim-loki_," A voice I knew well whispered in my ear. I had absolutely no freakin' idea what the words

meant, but I got the idea as the glass was presented to my lips again, and I drank.

"Will she be okay?" A voice asked softly, a voice that was suppressing tears.

Hotaru!

"W-wata imei s-sakari…" I managed in Japanese; I noticed for the first time that I was neither Princess Serenity or

in my unnamed Senshi form; I was simply Serena, which explained why I could only speak Japanese at the moment

 "Wataimei a-appu k-ken aku.. o-oite iie jikoko, yoshei?" 

I heard Hotaru sniffle even as I my strength, spent by making so long a speech –at least, it felt like it had been a

speech, with how exhausted I was now, right after it.

"What did she say?" Legolas asked Hotaru as he slipped out from behind me and laid me back down on the cloud-

soft bed and pillows, tucking a silky smooth comforter around my shoulders and tucking a strand of my hair behind

my ear.

"Sh-she said…" Hotaru sniffed, and I heard feet moving, so I knew she was coming closer. "She said she'd be fine,

and that she'd be up and about in no time." Her voice still sounded so broken… If I'd had the strength, I would

have winced. I knew why. But I'd had no choice but to use the Crystal! I'd known that, for all their determination to

save me without my help, another jump, with _seven_ people to carry, after two teleportations in a row, would have

killed them without an extra little power boost…okay, a big power boost. One that had almost killed me to extract

from the Crystal. But hey, we were all okay, right?

…right…?

Oh, God…

"H-Hotaru-ch-chan…" I murmured. Immediately I felt the youngest Senshi at my side, and felt her small, cool hand

clasp over mine. I summoned all the strength I could, and opened my eyes to look at her. Legolas was standing

behind her, his hand on her shoulder. I glanced at him, and seeing his eyes like that…filled with concern…somehow,

I felt strength, just enough to go on, fill me… 

How…?

_Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Meatball head,_ I heard Raye chasten in my mind.

"Hotaru-chan," I whispered. "S-sai min-minna-chan yoroshii?" I wished I could say the words so Legolas could

understand them…I even heard in my mind how I could say them so he could hear… '_Is everyone okay?'_ were

the words in Common, I knew. But I didn't have the strength…

Hotaru nodded, and sniffed.

"Hai," She answered. "Minna-chan yoroshii, goumo kega, ikkou."

Her words echoed in my mind and heart… _Yes, everyone's okay, not hurt, not at all._

Hotaru then giggled. "Demo Raye-chan sai seiranshoku! Sou sai Haruka-papa!" Even I had to grin… '_But Raye is_

_livid!' _She had said._ 'So is Haruka!'_

"Suitou Raye-chan ketsu naraba hon'in appu ken yaku motte'ashita," I said weakly. _Tell Raye-chan that if I'm not_

_up and about by tomorrow,_ "Sokode senpou kanawa koukou kara ware setsuyaka senpou daijei." _Then she_

_can't yell at me for saving her butt_.

Hotaru giggled, and while I heard her relay my words to Legolas, my strength gave out, and I slipped back into

slumber, a smile on my face.

"She cares for you all very much." Aragorn told them, sitting on pearly colored root that arched up out of the

ground at the edge of the small, circular 'room' formed by trees, earth, and bushes by a medium sized stream while

he cleaned and sharpened his dagger; his sword was being repaired by the elves. "You can't really blame her for

what she did."

"Hell, yes we can!" Raye snapped, pacing furiously, now in normal garb. At least, what Aragorn and Boromir

considered normal for women while traveling; leggings and blouse. Well, actually, blouse and skirt with a doublet-

corset would have been more appropriate, but they had refused to wear such things, but had consented to trade in

their rather revealing warrior goddess getups for the traveling outfits they wore now. 

Raye's wild anger, displayed in her jerky movements, angry pacing, and flashing eyes, were nothing compared to

the silent rage that radiated off of Haruka, leaning against a tall, young tree.

"Figures that not even a place so peaceful as this could calm them." Ami sighed. Frodo, beside her, gave her a

sympathetic smile and squeezed her hand. Blushing gently, but smiling, she returned the gesture.

"She woke up!" A delighted voice cried out. Hotaru, clad in a flowing, ethereal pale violet gown with flowing angel

sleeves and a swooped neckline, edged in dark silver embroidery, dashed down the steps that encircled a huge tree,

the trunk the size of a house and at least eleven stories high. At the top of the trunk, nestled at the base of all the

branches, was a lush tree house, almost a miniature palace made out of twisting, sloping, braiding, interweaving

pearly silver-white branches and golden leaves.

"She what?" Raye whirled, full, flowing burgundy sleeves, cuffed at her wrists, swished about her arms as she did

so, her long black braid whiling with her and landing over her shoulder.

"She woke up for a few moments." Legolas said, following the bubbling girl. Hotaru, whose shoulder length jet

black hair shimmered and her bangs were clipped back with pearls and amethysts, plopped down beside Ami. The

clothing and hair accessories had been gifts from the elves of Lothlorien, where they had found themselves when

they had all awoken after that last exhausting transportation from…wherever they had rescued Merry and Pippin

from. The Hobbits –except for Frodo- were still resting along with Gandalf, who -despite Hotaru having healed

most of his injuries- was still not a young man anymore. And even Ami was unable to explain how all of his injures –

broken ankle and twisted wrist and all- had disappeared when they'd been transported from Khazad-dum to right

in the middle of their fight.

"And Raaaaye…" Hotaru drawled; seeing her beloved princess awake had done much for her previously

devastated spirits. "She says that if she's up and about by tomorrow, you can't yell at her for –and I quote- saving

your butt!"

"Don't worry Raye," Haruka said lowly. "She won't be up by tomorrow because we won't let her be up by

tomorrow! She'll stay in that bed with us to nurse her until _I_ decide she's well enough to get up and come home!"

Without another word, the Senshi of Wind, pale cream blouse and fitted navy blue leggings betraying her taut

muscles and stiff posture, pushed away from the tree, whirled, and disappeared from the room.

"Out of all of us," Ami said softly. "Haruka is the most protective of our Princess. She, like us, would give her life

and soul to keep Serenity from harm. That Serena would willingly put herself in danger for her…that tears her apart,

because that is the one harm Haruka cannot protect her from."

"We –the Inners- came to accept long ago that if Serena set her mind to something, not even death itself was going

to keep her from doing that something," Raye said, her voice tight. "Even if it was saving us _through_ death she was

aiming for. We had no choice but to decide to just make sure that there would always be a way for us to bring her

back, and make sure that she would never, ever have to make a sacrifice of herself ever again."

In the thoughtful silence that followed, none noticed that Legolas had once again retreated up the steps to the mini-

tree palace that Serena rested within. He made quick work of the spiraling steps, and brushed aside the silken

curtains that made for a door. More transparent lengths of silken cloth hung around the edge of the platform, falling

to the floor and concealing the low, three-foot high wall that surrounded the edge, the curtains blowing between the

white pillars that were atop the short walls, each one five feet apart.

"You're friends are worried about you," Legolas said softly as he touched Serena's pale cheek, her chest rising and

lowering gently and steadily with the breath of sleep. He sat in the chair he had pulled up beside her hours ago –or

was it days ago?- when he had awoken, fully rested, and had demanded to know where she was.

And here she lay, still, in a flowing sheath of pure white linen, no longer in the ethereal gown fit for the royalty she 

was, not even in the garb of her moon warrior form. Her crescent moon gone, she wasn't even in the clothing –

black skirt and pink top- that she had been in when he had first found her… It all seemed so long ago…

The Ring may answer to Sauron, but the Moongold answers to Serenity… 

He had forgotten about that silvery, whispery voice he had heard on the banks of the River. Forgotten it until earlier

that afternoon, when Hotaru –so sweet and yet so eternally sad a mortal child he had never met- had gently pried

him from his _elle nim-loki_, his little white dragon, to a meeting where they would all, Fellowship –those of it that

were awake- and Senshi would finally understand each other.

Legolas understood all he needed to; they had come to take Serena home, if she would go. They all knew she

would. She loved her home and her duty to her home too much to not return.

After he had gotten over that, he had learned why the Ring-Bearer still bore the Ring, and why they would all stay

together until Serena awoke…

Moongold. So that was why the Ring was the Master Ring. That was why she was here…what good still remained

in the Ring because of what it was made out of had called her…part of the Ring detested what it was, and had

summoned the only one who could rid the world of the evil it carried…

So much power in so small a girl… So much fate and destiny resting on her delicate shoulders… What cruel entity

would lay so much responsibility at the feet of a creature such as her? In this particular case, it was whoever had

locked that bit of love and light deep within the 'molecular structure of the original form of the lunar originated and

malleable alloy known as Moongold' according to the blue haired girl, Ami, or Mercury.

"_So you're saying that this ring has a will of its own?"_ The black haired one, Raye, had asked incredulously.

"_Precisely_." Ami had confirmed. "_The actual ring itself 'wants' nothing more than to return to its master, to_

_wreak havoc on the world and plunge everything into darkness and shadow and evil. But the alloy of the_

_ring, the Moongold, wants the opposite, and thus it summoned Serena to destroy it so that what the Ring_

_wants will never happen_."

"_So The One Ring has…two wills_?" Boromir sought a more clear confirmation. Ami nodded. 

"_Basically_," She had said. "_The will of the ring is to destroy all good, the will of the Moongold is to destroy all_

_evil_. _I suspect these two wills have been conflicting since the day the Ring was created. But, luckily for all of_

_us, the true will of the ring overcame the evil will, and managed to bring Serena over to this ti_-" She had

hesitated. "_To this time_." She had finished.

That had lead to introductions, which he had stayed for, but once an entirely different discussion on time travel

awakened just after that, he had slipped away, uninterested. He'd made his way up to Serena's treeroom,

dismissed the elf maiden attending Serena, and had begun to see to her needs himself when Hotaru had made the

fact that she had followed him apparent by asking if the golden haired girl would be all right.

And now, yet again, he found himself here by her side. Why? Why did he feel such a tender protection towards

her? Why?

Another very rare time when he didn't know the answer was added to his growing list as he simply sat and watched 

over her.

"**_You belong to me, just as your mother did…you cannot escape your fate, my daughter…come to_**

**_me…bring to me what is mine, even as you wear my gift to you…"_**

Serena shivered in the darkness, her eyes closed tight against the giant, black snake eye that was wreathed in living

flame.

"_I may be your daughter by blood," _Serena shouted at him._ "But I am also the daughter of Queen Selenity!_

_She raised me, not you, therefore she is my true parent! Nothing you can do or say will hold any sway over_

_me, ever!"_

_"**I am your father, Serenity…your blood sings to mine…you cannot deny it… Part of me is inside**_

**_you…embrace it! Bring me what is mine, my child… Me with my Ring, you with your mother's_**

**_Crystal_****_…imagine it, beloved. We would rule everything…"_**

_"You were never my father, and never will be!"_ Serena screamed, clamping her hands over her ears. _"And I_

_want nothing more than to be with those I love! If I wanted to rule all, I would not have run away from who_

_I was so long ago, I wouldn't have run away from being the Moon Princess!"_ She took her hands away from

her ears and her head snapped up. She glared defiantly at the Eye, and stood. In a low, angry voice, she said_,_

_"Now I know why my mother looked at the Earth with such hatred. It wasn't the Earth she hated; it was_

_you! She wanted you dead, she wanted you gone from the world, and by her blood and our ruined kingdom I_

_swear will carry out her ever unspoken wish! Do you hear me, father? I will destroy you! You and your evil,_

_forever! I shall destroy your precious ring, then I am coming for you! Never again shall you hurt my mother,_

_or anyone she held dear! Never!_ _Do you hear me?_ **I'm coming for you**!"

The Eye flared, Sauron roared his rage, and a scalding wind surrounded her. She stood her ground, the moonlight

silk of her gown flapping wildly around her, her hair forming a silver-golden tornado around her. Serena clenched

her fists and stood tall and proud, defiant before her father.

"_By my order, the Crown Princess Serenity_," Serena screamed out, her voice radiating power and purity as a

silver fireball slashed through the darkness and flared up around in a roar of raging purity. "_By my order, entity of_

_evil, I, Heir to the Throne of the Silver Alliance, Ruler of Earth, Bearer of the Silver Crystal_," At this, the

Crystal appeared in her hands, held out before her, with a wild burst of unrestrained power that flared outwards all

around her. "_I demand you release me! Release me now, Sauron! I will not stay in your place of evil_

_nightmares any longer! **Release me**!"_

Sauron roared, but the roar of Serena's silver power drowned out his, and quicker than you could blink, the pure

silver and white energy lashed out, and melted the darkness. Serena's promise echoed as she was released from the

realm of nightmares…

"**_I am coming for you, father… For all you did to my mother, I am coming for you."_**

Serena awoke, breathing heavily, but oddly calm.

It took her a moment to gather herself, to bring all of herself, mind, body, and spirit, to the real world…

It was night out, but the light of the Moon illuminated the pearly surface of the trees of and the branches that formed

her bed, giving the entire room and the forest she could see beyond the 'window's' of her room an ethereal glow.

The silk curtains blew in a gentle wind, in and out between the white pillars that were along the edge of the platform

that her bed was in the center of.

"Serena…" Serena turned her head to see Legolas. He had been standing at the window. He had turned at the

sound of her sitting up. Serena pulled the covers aside and swung her legs over the side, the silky, cascading, wispy

material of her Princess Serenity gown brushing over her legs as she stood. Legolas looked her up and down, noting

the garb that Serena somehow knew she had not been wearing till a few moments ago.

"Where are we?" Serena asked softly. Her gaze fixed on a palace-like structure, visible in the distance, that looked

like it was made out of interwoven moonbeams. She walked to the low wall, between two pillars, were the curtains

had been drawn aside. Legolas, beside her, touched her elbow.

"We are in Lothlorien, the place we told you Lady Galadriel resides." Legolas turned her to face him. She looked

up at him unblinkingly, and Legolas knew she something had happened in her sleep. Her eyes shone with a heavy 

light no one, not even an immortal like herself, should ever have to bear.

"What is it?" Legolas asked her. Serena looked out through the pillars, up at the Moon.

"He came to me." She said softly, her filled with a childlike, curious wonder, a tone that Legolas knew stemmed

from the wall she had erected around her heart to ward off terror. "He wants me to join him, Legolas. He says that

because I'm his daughter, I am like him. He says a part of his evil is with me…he wants me to let it out, to bring to

him what he says belongs to him…"

"Serena?" Legolas took her chin his hand and turned face gently to look up at him. "Do you speak of Sauron?" She

blinked and nodded.

"He's my father…" She whispered. "I know I should be screaming and yelling and denying it, but…it makes

sense… Why my mother seemed to always hate something about the Earth, not really the Earth itself…why she also

seemed to fear it… Why Diamond was able to hypnotize me…why Raye thought I was an evil spirit the first time

we met… Why Hotaru and I connect so well…"

"Serena, you have no evil in you." Legolas told her, touching her cheek.

"Yes I do." She said. "At least now I do. I didn't when I was _truly_ Princess Serenity; the light of the Moon kept

that at bay, but I was reborn as a human…the evil that is in the blood that I got from my father grew while I was

human, Legolas. I'm not going to try to deny it or wish it away. It's a part of me…" She opened her palm, which

until then had been closed. She raised her hand, palm up, between Legolas and her, revealing a round, many-

faceted stone of sparkling milky silver. "It's as much a part of me as this crystal is…" She looked up at Legolas.

"Touch it," She asked him softly, without really asking at all, looking at him with her eyes…those eyes that seemed

to hold the universe within their crystalline depths.

Legolas touched the crystal that hummed and glowed softly, hovering just a few millimeters above her slender, pale

palm.

The Crystal unfurled itself into a crystallized rose.

"Endymion was the only one that could make my Crystal become a rose…only him and his love for me…" Serena

said in the same, childlike wonder she had spoke in earlier. She looked up at Legolas, the crystal in her hand

glowing softly and warmly. "I think…" She reached up with her other hand and touched his temple with a butterfly

soft touch as Legolas drowned in the universe that glowed out from her eyes.

"There was always something Endymion had that Darien had always been missing," Serena said softly. "Something

that was lost when he was reborn. I never questioned it; I loved him anyway. But now I think I know where that

missing something went… That missing something was the tenderness he always treated me with, his tolerance, his

sense of honor and duty. Part of that left Endymion when he died…and now I know where it went…" She drew her

fingers on his temple down his cheek to his chin, and back up again, her eyes studying him as if really looking at him

for the first time.

For the first time Legolas realized she had tears in her eyes. He raised one hand and put it over hers on his cheek,

and his other reached up to wipe away a single tear from her cheek before he closed that hand over the Crystal

Rose in her palm. She closed her eyes rested her cheek against his chest, her hand clutching her crystal against her

breast between them as his arms went around her.

"It explains so much…" She whispered.

"What does it explain?" He asked her, smoothing her hair away from her face. She pulled her head away from his

chest enough so that she could look up at him.

"It explains why I think I'm beginning to fall in love with you so easily." She whispered, staring up into the sort of

eyes she'd thought she'd never see again, after seeing her Endymion's eyes close for the last time on the Moon, so

long ago… Eyes that drew her in so that she felt like she was drowning in the sensations of being loved, protected,

treasured. Eyes that she wanted to drown in…eyes that drew her in just as her face was being drawn up to the face

that belong to those eyes, just as he was drawn down to meet her…

Two hearts met and two pairs of lips kissed and touched softly, in a light mist of a caress that whispered of

promises…

And for the moment, the promise Serena had made to her father was forgotten as she discovered once more who

she really was in the arms of the one she knew she was already beginning to give her heart to…

To Be Continued… 

Oh dear… I think I just became a Serena/Legolas fan…that was so…_easy_ to write! With Darien I'm constantly

trying to make him seem loving and still keep him in character at the same time…not an easy thing to do… 

Endymion is a whole lot easier to do, for some reason –maybe because he's a prince- but I now foresee a lot more

Serena/Legolas pairings in my writing future… Oh, don't worry, I'm still a Serena/Darien shipper, I just now think

maybe my 'shipperness' is divided between Serena/Legolas and Serena/Darien.

So, you people happy now? Did I bring this on too quick? Did I manage to do the couple justice?

Review and lemme know!

Once again, I am very well aware how inaccurate most of the things concerning Lord of the Rings is in this story,

but I assure you all that it is by no means through lack of research or laziness that this is so, it's mostly because

when merging to such complex plots, compromises must be made. That and some of the things I simply found it

fun to play with. ^^

Anyhoo, see you all next time! Ja!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	11. Chapter Ten: Tarien Serenithil

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Ten**

_by Makura Koneko_

"Uh-uh, don't say a word. We had a bet, remember?" Serena held up a finger as Raye opened her mouth,

expression wild and eyes blazing as she stepped in front of Serena the moment she entered the long hall.

Grinning, Serena reminded her. "If I was up and about by today, you couldn't yell at me," she said. Raye

froze and scowled.

"I never agreed to that, and you know it!" Raye growled. Serena giggled and batted her eyes innocently.

Raye softened, and grabbed her best friend in a tight hug. "Just don't ever scare us like that again…" She

whispered while holding her princess tight, blinking back tears.

"I promise." Serena said. They released each other, teary eyed, and Raye kissed her on the forehead in a

very rare, very big-sisterly fashion. Raye stepped away, revealing Serena to the circle of Senshi and

Fellowship members. Gandalf was there as well, smiling widely, standing slightly apart to watch. They were

all standing out in a large clearing that was more of a room made out of tree trunks and moss for the most

exquisite of rugs, a long table running the entire length of the clearing-room.

The Senshi, Boromir, and the Hobbits all looked at her and Raye hesitantly, as if not sure if it was safe to

approach them yet. Serena laughed, and held out her arms. With a collective cry they all rushed towards her

at once, and Raye and Legolas were forced to back off. Haruka claimed Serena first, engulfing her in a tight

hug and alternately telling her how stupid she was and how precious she was.

It was a good while before Haruka could be persuaded to release her, and Serena was passed to Boromir for

a big, lifted-up-of-the-ground-and-twirled-around bear hug. He set her down, kissed her on the forehead,

and while the act was purely brotherly in nature, Haruka still saw red and had to be restrained by Aragorn

and Raye both.

Legolas, he was surprised to find about himself, wasn't far behind.

"We were so worried!" Ami said tearfully as Serena embraced both her and Hotaru.

"I told you I'd be up and about in no time!" She said and smiled at a tearful Hotaru. The young teen nodded

and wiped her eyes with the sleeves of the pale lavender gown, the gown that seamlessly went from a fitted

bodice to a flared, floor length, flowing gown edged in a white ribbon embroidered with dark silver

filigrees.

Serena wore a similar gown of the most faded, almost white, pink and pale gold, the sleeves alike to the

sleeves of her new Senshi uniform; angel sleeves, and slited from the shoulder seam down to an inch above

the seam of the edge of the sleeves. Both sides of the slits on both sleeves were edged in the same delicate

pattern that was made out of a filigree in pale gold thread. The same pattern was along the heart shaped

neckline and hem of the seamless bodice and flared, full skirt. Pale gold and white ribbons were wound

around her buns and interwoven with her hair-streamers that fell to her ankles.

"You are a vision of loveliness, lass," Gimli told her as he came up and hugged her tightly, a most out of

character act reserved only for her to welcome her back.

"Thank you, Gimli," Serena returned the embrace and kissed him on the nose, causing him to 'huff' as he

stepped away and turned bright cherry red. Serena giggled.

""It is good to see you well, Serenity, and looking like the princess you are," Aragorn told her, taking her

hands in his and kissing them like a prince would a lady's, smiling at her with all the joy his heart felt at

seeing her awake and well. Legolas came up beside her and touched her elbow. She looked over her

shoulder up at him and smiled, both with her mouth and her eyes. Legolas smiled back in the same fashion.

Boromir wasn't the only one that noticed this exchange, and he looked at Aragorn to see that his king had

noticed it as well.

"You are the Moon Princess Ami told us about?" Serena turned to see a man -not a boy- that was only half a

foot shorter than she was.

"Yes, I am, in a way," She said. She noticed the golden ring on a chain around his neck. "You must be

Frodo," She said, reaching out and flicking the ring. To the surprise of everyone present, the Ring glowed a

soft silver-gold for a brief moment before fading…

"Mother's staff used to do that whenever she touched it," Serena said, seemingly surprised she even

remembered. "It must have been made out of Moongold, too…"

"You remember about the Moongold, Serena?" Hotaru asked.

"Enough about it to know I'm the only one that can destroy anything made of it." She sighed and blew a

strand of her bangs out of her eyes. "Figures." She huffed.

The Senshi laughed, though no one else was quite sure what was so funny.

"We should eat," Legolas said. "We will be summoned to see Galadriel soon."

"Ooooh, food!" Serena squealed. Remembering their fifth day with her, when she'd still be unconscious,

remembering the way they had -unintentionally- woken her, Boromir, Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas laughed.

It was the Senshi's turn to look confused as they all approached the table and sat, and began to partake of

the food already laid out as they began to talk about the minor things of their trips. Unsurprisingly, Serena's

stories received the most laughs.

"And I still don't get why you got all weird when I asked how many girlfriends you've had, Legolas."

Serena asked casually. Whether or not she chose to say that particular thing at the exact moment the

aforementioned elf was taking a drink was unclear. He choked, and did his best to compose himself as two

Senshi, a wizard, four hobbits, and a human found themselves choking on bits of food or their own laughter.

Under the table, he poked in her the ribs, promising pay back later.

"_What_?" Serena asked in exasperation. "What did I say? It was a valid question!" Everyone just shook their

heads in amusement. Serena looked around in genuinely innocent confusion. "_What_?"

Again, nothing but chuckles and shaking heads. Piqued, but only temporarily, Serena gobbled at the desert

on her plate.

"Hey, Legolas?" Serena asked. He looked at her, prompting her to ask her question with a nod. "When I was

playing little-miss-sick up there, and you had me drink that weird water, you said something. I'm not stupid

enough to not know you probably told me to drink, but you called me something, and I wanna know what

language it was; it wasn't the one you and the guys used on the trip, and it was pretty."

"That was my native tongue," Legolas told her with a small smile. "And I called you little white dragon.

_Elle nim'loki_."

"Dragon?" Serena squeaked. "Me?" Legolas laughed.

"Yes, dragon. An elegant, beautiful, magical creature, rare, exquisite, a gift to all who even look upon her.

Yet dangerous, determined, willful, and very, very loyal." He flicked his finger over her nose affectionately.

"Dragon. _Lailoki_."

(**AN:** Thanks to B'Jammin for reminding me of Smaug… In regard to that, I don't know about all you, but

if I were the last of my kind and had people trying to kill me and take my treasure, I'd be pretty grumpy,

too!!!) 

"Neato…" Serena said, her eyes wide, her desert forgotten. Her eyes got wider and sparkled with

excitement. "Could you teach me?" She asked, her voice soft and filled with hope. Legolas grinned.

"Of course," he said, his smile widening as Serena let out a squeal and wiggled in her seat.

"Okay, okay," She said. "Before you do, though, what's my name in your language?" Her eyes, wide and

soul-filled, looked at him, and he didn't notice when his smile widened even more.

"_Tarien Serenithil_," He said after a brief moment of thought. " '_Tarien_' is 'princess.' _Serenithil_ means

'loving peace of the moon.' Serenity."

"Cool!" Serena said. "What about this?" She tapped her crescent moon insignia on her forehead.

"_Ithilin_. 'Golden Crescent Moon.'"

"How the heck did you fit 'Golden Crescent Moon' into '_Thilini_?' Serena frowned. Legolas couldn't help

but grin.

"_Ithilin_, Serena, not 'thilini." He said. "And my explanation is difference in languages. Think about it. What

is Sylvan for golden crescent moon?" Serena fought to remember…

"It's…_Ithilai_…" Her eyes widened. "Ami-chan wasn't kidding when she remarked about the similarities

between the languages of the Lunarians and Elves… Speaking of which, what do you call Lunarians? Or do

you just call them that, Lunarians?"

"We call them _Ithili'Quessir_, moon-elves. And their kingdom, your kingdom, we call _Celenithil Ardiwuil_;

Silver Moon Kingdom."

"Ooooh…pretty…" She thought for a moment. "How do you say 'of?'"

"As in, 'I am _of_ the woods?'" Legolas verified at her nod. "Then it is simply '_en_.'"

"And 'the?'"

"_Iln_."

Serena pursed her lips in her own personal, adorably thoughtful expression. "Then I am _Serenithil, tarien en_

_iln Celenithil Ardiwuil_." She said carefully, then translating it for herself; "'I am Serenity, princess of the

Silver Moon Kingdom.'" She looked at him, her eyes filled with question, and at his nod and pleased smile,

she perked, grinning brightly, eyes shinning with triumph.

Before another word was spoken, the doors to the long 'hall' -more like lacy gates, actually- was opened

and an elf in official looking robes entered.

"The Lady will see you now," He said. Serena rose, and her Senshi rose with her along with everyone else.

"The Lady will see _Serenity_," The elf clarified after seeing this. "And Serenity alone. For the moment." He

looked to Serena, whom now looked nervous. "Are you Serenity?"

"It's _Princess_ Serenity to you, elf," Haruka growled. Ami touched her elbow, a silent signal that meant

'behave.' Serena backed up Ami's motion by giving Haruka a pleading glance that begged her not to cause

trouble and to not make any enemies before turning to the elf and stepping away from the table.

"Lead the way." Serena said, the invisible shroud that all royalty wore settling on her shoulders, giving the

way she moved and spoke the air that she had borne thousands of years ago, and now wore again. She was

every bit _Sereithil, tarien en iln Celenithil Ardiwuil, _and she knew it.

"Again, a being of great importance has brought great evil to this place," The ethereal woman turned from

what looked like a birdbath, plain in looks compared to the magnificent city that surrounded the small,

round impression five feet below normal ground level. But it seemed to have an aura of it's own; it sang of

magic, strong, ancient magic that Ami-chan no doubt would have love to find the source of.

Serenity, as she stood at the top of the gently curving steps that lead down into the open-ceiling-cellar type

place, was pretty sure that if Ami-chan were to trace the magic of the 'birdbath' it would lead straight to the

unearthly woman that was looking at her with something akin to mixed compassion and wary sorrow in her

eyes.

"Indeed I do, my lady." Serenity said, her princess-ness taking over in the time when Serena would have

panicked, wailed, apologized repeatedly and tearfully over and over for whatever it is she had done. "But I

also bring with me the means to destroy that evil for all time."

"Your promise is filled with more promises, Lady of the Moon." Galadriel stepped away from the 'birdbath'

and took a tall, slender ivory pitcher and dipped it into the small pool that was cupped in the hollow of

section of the wall that jutted out; tiny waterfalls fell over rocks and through vines to add to the ripples that

formed when the Lady of the Wood filled the pitcher from it.

"Indeed it is." Serenity walked down the steps. How Galadriel knew that once the Ring was destroyed, she

meant to go after Sauron, she didn't know. How she knew that that had been what Galadriel had meant by

'promises within promises,' she didn't know that either. But somehow Galadriel knew, and Serenity knew

enough about the ways of such ethereal beings as Galadriel -heck, Serena was one when she needed to be!-

not to question it, just accept.

"Come, look into my mirror." Galadriel bid her. Serenity got the feeling, as she stepped down from the last

step, that this was a gift given more rarely than the title of elf friend. As Serenity neared the Mirror of

Galadriel, the elf queen lifted the pitcher and poured a long, steady, crystalline stream of cool water to

splash down into the 'birdbath.' The water rippled, when the flow stopped, then became unnaturally still.

"What shall I see, Lady?" Serenity asked.

"As I have told others before you, even the wisest of beings cannot always tell."

"But you can." Serenity said, noting that she had not claimed otherwise. "You are not a 'being,' and you are

beyond what mere mortals conceive as 'wise.' You are something more." It was not a question.

Galadriel's smile was soft as she closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly, neither confirming nor

denying Serenity's words.

Serenity stepped forward, and looked into the mirror.

An eye that she knew all too well glared out at her. It faded slightly, at least the colors, but its presence was

as strong as ever. It seemed to recede, taking up it's place in the background as it, too, seemed to watch the

events unfold before it...

_Beryl lashed out at a terrified princess..._

_A prince saved his beloved by giving his own life..._

_The Princess followed him into death, willingly..._

_A warrior of the Moon was born._

_A weapon discovered, a Crystal reclaimed._

_The Warrior of Love killed Beryl, the engravings on the Sword of the Moon flashing brightly..._

_Brightly..._

_Brightly..._

_Oh, so, brightly..._

_The words bore into Serenity's mind, even as she did not know their meaning..._

_The Eye took over the image once more, lashed out at her. But, just as in her dream, Serenity held her ground._

_"Leave me alone!" She cried out, whether in her mind or out loud, she didn't know and didn't care. "I am_

_not yours, not now, not ever! Be gone!"_

_Like a beacon of light slashing through the darkness, Serenity felt warmth surround her, warmth and_

_protection, and with it came strength. With that strength, Serenity pulled herself from Sauron's grasp..._

The mirror flickered, and died, mere water once more, and Serenity, breathing hard, found herself once

again in the real world. She realized almost immediately what that warmth and protection and strength had

come from; she was standing, gasping for air, eyes wide, with her back to Legolas's chest and his arms

wrapped around her tightly; he had helped her pull herself from the mirror, both in mind and body.

"Breathe, _belle'loki..._breathe, little dragon." He told her, murmuring the words softly so as not to startle her.

Slowly, Serena closed her eyes and paced her breathing as Luna had made her do so often...

"I'm okay," She said. She looked at Galadriel. Her eyes were closed as if in pain. Slowly she opened them,

smiled softly, her eyes filled with tender warmth. Serenity saw a flicker of her mother in those eyes, and it

made her heart ache.

"You will do," The Lady of the Wood said softly. "You fulfill your promises. You will do just fine. Do not

let us down, Lady of the Moon, for the fate of all rests on your keeping your promises. All of them." Her

eyes bore into Serenity's, holding a secret meaning to that last statement, a meaning Serenity was drawing a

blank on... I will understand in time, she realized, and nodded. Galadriel looked past her to Legolas.

"Guide and guard her, Legolas Greenleaf," She said to him. "She will need you." She smiled at Serenity

once more. "Now go. You will need your rest for the tasks ahead of you. You have but to ask for anything

you desire, and it shall be yours."

Galadriel's words echoed in her mind as they -she and Legolas- nodded respectfully to the Lady of the

Wood, turned, and left, Legolas helping her still trembling frame up the steps, she slipping deep into

thought.

Once upon a time, Serena would have begun drooling and leaping for joy before demanding five double hot

sundaes on the spot....Serenity was terrified that that girl might be dying...

_No, not dying_, she realized. Child-Serena, the Serena so many loved and looked to for cheer and hope,

would die if she were the one to make this quest. But Serenity...Serenity would prevail. And so it was

Serenity she must be until she completed the tasks ahead. Only then could Child-Serena safely re-emerge.

Serena was not dead, simply sleeping, and Serenity had taken over, for the sake of all.

Serenity frowned. No, not truly Serenity. At least, not the Serenity that she remembered herself as; almost as

childish as Child-Serena, just a bit more ladylike. No, she wasn't even fully Serenity anymore, not when she

was like this...

Then who was she?

She touched the locket at her throat...

Serena was not strong enough to endure such a task for as long as she was required to, so she slept, deep

within the Moon Princess's soul. Yet Princess Serenity had been heading towards doing the same for a long

time. She still existed, but she _was_ the daughter of Sauron, a danger to all who were near during this quest

for that simple fact.

Sailor Moon was the heroine of the future. She fought with magic and wands and her friends and the will of

her heart. She didn't belong in this time, and so she, too, slept.

So who was she, now?

It was then, as she reentered the hall where everyone still was chatting and picking at more deserts and

snacks, that the Lady of the Moon, the _Tarien en Celenithil Ardiwuil_, Princess of the Silver Moon Kingdom,

knew what to call her new warrior form and her new self...

"I am Celenithil..." She whispered.

"What?" Legolas looked at her; the others hadn't noticed them yet.

"My new name, while I'm here." She said, looking up at him. "The name of my new Senshi form. Celenithil.

Silver Moon." She grinned shyly. "What do you think?"

No one asked about the coincidence that 'Celenithil' meant the same thing in both Elvish and Sylvan- the

language of Lunarians.

"I think it's perfect, and so are you." With an unusually spontaneous fashion, he kissed her on the nose, then

lightly on the lips before pulling her into a tight hug. She snuggled into his arms for a moment, before she

pulled away, smiling, cheeks flushed, and pulled him out of the shadows of the entry way so that her friends

may see that they had returned...one of them in more than one way.

"Now that we're all up," Sam spoke up. "Shouldn't we have a meetin' o' sorts to decide what to do now? Th'

Rings still gotta go."

"Our small hobbit friend is correct," Gandalf approved Sam's words. "I believe a council of our own is in

order."

"Then a council we shall have!" Serena declared, grabbing two pastries off a platter on the table and handing

one to Legolas. "Lets go! We can have our secret meeting in my treehouse...room...place...whatever you call

it." Laughter was heard at the cute expression she made at not knowing the proper name. Merry and Pippin

choked at the words 'secret meeting,' and the hobbits laughed at something of their own.

"What?" Serena asked them. The Hobbits, and the Fellowship, exchanged glances, remembering the last

'secret council meeting' they'd been to, and all laughed and chuckled again. Serena was piqued, and so

Legolas took it upon himself to explain it to her. When he got to the part of retelling Pippin's words, _'Righto._

_Now, where are we going_?' after pledging to follow his friend wherever he may go, Serena couldn't hold

back any longer, and doubled over laughing.

"It wasn't that funny," Pippin protested. Serena giggled.

"Sure it was," She teased. "But it's part of who you are, and I doubt any of us would ever want to change

that." She ruffled his hair and bent to give him a hug. The Hobbit grinned brightly, turned, and stuck his

tongue out at Merry as if to say 'I got one and you didn't.' Merry's response was to whack him upside the

head as he passed, saying, "Come on, now we haven't got all day."

The others laughed, and followed.

"First off, I need to do some scans," Ami said once they had all entered and settled themselves around the

'treehouse' that had been assigned to Serena during her stay. "To determine how long we have till your

second shell begins to-"

"My what?" Serena interrupted. Ami and the other three Senshi exchanged glances.

"You'd better sit down, Koneko," Haruka told her. Serena sat.

"Serena…" Ami began, fidgeting. "Okay, I'm going to start from the beginning… For us, about a week ago,

we had that sleepover, remember?"

"Yes, it's been a week for me, as well." Serena nodded. She frowned and looked at Legolas. "At least I

think it's been a week since I arrived here. How long was I out?"

"Only a day," He assured her. Satisfied, she prompted Ami to continue.

"Well, to make a long story short, you fell asleep on the couch," Ami plunged forward. "And we were going

to let you sleep, but then you started screaming…we tried to wake you…we had to hold you down, you

were thrashing so. We couldn't wake you.

"To once again cut this short, we eventually figured out that, somehow, your spirit, your essence, your

mind, your…your core, I suppose, was torn from your body and taken…some place else. Your body

assumed the state of a sleep so deep it was almost a permanent coma.

"Meanwhile, we tracked your essence across over one hundred billion years back in time to…now." Eyes

widened at the large number Ami gave, but no one disputed it; for the great beings of the universe, time was

nonexistent.

"But if I left my body behind in the future…" Serena blinked. Ami sighed, seeing she was going to have to

spell it out after all. Some things never changed.

"Your spirit, if exposed, without your body to protect it, before it is its rightful time to be eternally released,

well… Am I right that when you came to, you were in great pain?"

"Extreme." Serena said with a shudder.

"Reminiscent of…being skinned alive, maybe?" Ami fished around. Serena made a face.

"Eeeew…but if 'reminisc-orant' or whatever means 'a lot like' than, yeah." Serena made another 'icky'

face. "Yes, it felt like I was being skinned alive."

"It felt like that," Ami said. "Because…well, just as your skin protects the nerve endings just underneath

them, so does your body protect…spiritual nerve endings of your soul. When your body was gone, those

spiritual nerve endings were exposed. Most would die from the pain."

"You must have had one hell of a reason to keep yourself alive," Raye said affectionately. Serena grinned

and pointed to Boromir.

"It was him, actually, though I didn't even know his name," She shrugged. "All I knew was, one minute I

was jabbering with you guys, next, dreaming of ice cream sundaes, then I felt like I was being torn in two 

-which I guess I was- then the pain went super triple on me… And then through it all I got this sensation

of…of being…needed. Someone needed me. So I had to live. I had to live. Because someone needed me.

That was really all that I was able to think… Actually, I really wasn't thinking-"

"And this is supposed to be a surprise because…?" Raye drawled sarcastically. Serena ignored her but for a

brief glare before continuing.

"I really wasn't having thoughts, just…feelings. And the one thing that sort of…made a pathway through

the pain was that someone needed me. Period. Therefore I wouldn't let myself die. Period. And I didn't. I

pushed myself into the real world-"

"You forced your soul to form a second body so you could survive in it…" Ami broke down Serena's half

finished sentence. Serena grinned sheepishly.

"I guess so…" The blonde said. She shrugged. "Anyway, I managed to stay awake long enough to get the

poison out of Boromir, heal his wounds, reach to the nether-realm, grab his soul, and tell it to high tail it

back to where it belonged." She threw him a wink, and Boromir just grinned and shook his head lightly.

"You touched the nether-realm?" Gimli sputtered. He wasn't the only one shocked.

"What?" Serena blinked. She looked at he Senshi and rolled her eyes. "Oh, c'mon, you guys, how do you

think I brought you back to life after Metallia? Duh." She giggled.

"I wonder why we never thought of it..." Ami mussed.

"Cuz there was no need to," Raye shrugged. "We were back, and glad of it, and we didn't want to jinx our

luck by questioning it."

"So it seems you owe him your life as much as he owes you his." Aragorn brought back the subject at hand

as he pushed away from the pillar he was leaning against to stand beside Boromir, whom was sitting on a

two foot high chest.

"If you mean to say we're even, then yup!" Serena said, face shining.

"But we aren't," Merry declared. He looked at Serena, a serious look on his face despite the eternal twinkle

that had returned to his eyes. "Pip and I still owe you and your girls," he nodded to the Senshi. "For saving

our rears from an Orc fire pit."

"Hey, hey, no debts, no owing," Serena said, waving her hands, embarrassed. Merry and Pippin exchanged

glances.

"Still, if there's ever anythin' we can do, just ask! Oh, and wherever you go to do the spell thingy to destroy

the ring, we're comin,' too. For you as much as for Mr. Frodo." Pippin pledged. Frodo grinned, eyes shining

with happy amusement. When he'd seen his friends strapped to the trees, the looks on their faces and in

their eyes before they'd seen him had put terror into his heart, terror far more terrible than even Sauron had

ever induced. To see them happy again was the greatest gift he'd ever been granted.

"So, what were the scans you had to make about my second-shell thingamajig?" Serena prompted, for once

returning to the subject rather than straying from it. Ami, after blinking in slight surprise, realized after

glancing at Haruka and Hotaru and Raye that she was not the only one that noticed.

"Er, right," The blue haired girl said. She looked at Serena with soulful eyes. "The reason I need to scans

is…" She blew out a breath in defeat at Serena's innocently unsuspecting face. She saw the way Legolas

stood beside her…did either of them realize it? Even Ami could see it… Could she really deliver this news?

But what choice did she have? Even if there wasn't a time limit, Serena would have to come to the future

anyway, find a way to make sure that, even without Darien, Crystal Tokyo, or something like it, would still

exist. Ami didn't allow herself to think of Rini. As annoying as the child could be, the thought of any child

dying, a child she had known so well, was more than she could bear at the moment.

"Aimes?" Serena asked. She was wary, now. She knew something was up. Ami had no choice but to tell her

now.

"Serena," Ami said reluctantly. "There's a slight chance I'm wrong, but…well…since this isn't your natural

body, and you don't really exist in this timeframe… I'm sorry, Princess, but in less than a month, your shell

will begin to disintegrate. And if your spirit isn't on its way back to its rightful body, in the future, at the

exact same time it starts to happen…"

No one even had to ask her to finish the sentence.

"Oh…" Was all Serena could say. No one else spoke; no words seemed appropriate. Four people were here

to take their best friend and princess away from nine other people she held dear. And those nine people had

just realized that they had, at most, four weeks to spend with the one they would all die to protect…

With realizations like that, what can one say?

Nothing, for silence reigned, as a single tear slipped down Serena's face at the same time she shoved away

from the bed post, and fled.

A single tear flew off her cheek, and landed on the hand of the elf prince that reached out to her as she ran

away…

**To Be Continued…**

YAY!!!!!!!!!!! I FOUND MY FLOPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Big thanks to everyone who was so patient, and those

who stuck with me! Now, where did I find the floppy, you ask? *grumble mutter* In my notebook, the thing

I open EVERY DAY!!!!!!!! grrrrrrrrr..... Took me till this morning to think 'hey, maybe I stuck it in there at

the last minute...' *bonks head on desk* I'm blonde, what else can I say? *blows exasperated mushroom

bubble*

Anyhoo....

I NEED HELP WITH SOMETHING!!!!!!!

Okay, remember that part where Serena looks into Galadriel's mirror? And it says the words inscribed on

the Moon Sword (in the manga; not in the anime) flashed? Okay, I cannot for the life of me remember what

it said on the Moon Sword! Could someone pleeeeeeeeeease review/e-mail me with the script? Doesn't have

to be exact, just a general idea, though exact would be helpful.

Also, I'm dedicating this chapter to my new friend, Marie. She's a Japanese exchange student, and I swear a

real-life Usagi/Serena. She's so bouncy, and gets excited so cutely over the littlest things! You should have

seen her when I told her Marie was my middle name. ^^ Oh, and even though her name, in English, is

spelled 'Marie' it's pronounced 'Mah-dee-yuh.' ^^ She's teaching me Japanese, and she was impressed with

the few words I did know, since the words I knew I'd never heard said before, only seen them spelled, like

'konnichi-wa,' 'gomen nasaii,' ect. She's soooo cool!!!!!!!

*tears* I didn't reach my goal...though 400 is still good, ne? I didn't really expect to reach 500, though it

would have been nice. 

**NEW GOAL:**

600 reviews by chapter sixteen! Think I can make it? PLEASE help me reach this goal at least!!!!!!

Pleeeeeeeeeease????

Oh, and for those of who whom are sniffing at me, I'm not doing the goal thing to get more reviews; it's a

way to keep myself interested in my own stories. I loose interest in even my favorite stories so easily, so this

is one more thing to keep me going, my determination to reach my self-set goals. Get it?

Anyhoo, enough chit-chat for one chapter! Ja ne till next time!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	12. Chapter Eleven: Kisses at Sunset

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Eleven**

_by Makura Koneko_

***Big Thanks To:***

Clear

unicorn87 (Thanks for volunteering the info, but somebody's already gotten it for me. *hugglez* thanks for your willingness to look it up for me!)

Allie (^^ Thanks for your vote of confidence, I really appreciate that great review.)

 star0704 (*giggles* Yes, Legolas -or rather, Orlando Bloom- sure is a heartthumper, isn't he?)

SerenityLNguyen( Glad you like the sweet parts; those are my fav, too. As for not having Serena leave Legolas, I did promise a happy ending, now didn't I?)

Chibi Arwen (I went to go read 'Starlight's Dance' (cute name) but instead found an authors note. So sorry to hear about that, I know what it feels like. *pats on back* you have my consolations.)

bee 

Kolinshar Jackie-chan Benito ('Makura-sama?' *blushes* I'm not that old! *giggles* As for the sword, I was looking for the one Venus pulls from the base of the Prayer Pillar and uses to kill Beryl. But don't worry; I've already got it. ^^ Thanks ever so much, though!)

Ray of Hope (lol, did I post in time to satisfy you? *says teasingly* But I actually have a reason for posting on this particular day (October 24). Read the authors notes at the bottom to find out!)

Tarien (Yes, I remember your reviews from before I brought in your name. *hugglez* And I hope 'SQUEE-ish' is a good thing...? *sweatdrop*)

Spooky Fyre (oooooh, someone thinks I have great timing....this is a first....*faints from shock*)

Katlin Grace (I KNOW!!!! BLONDES RULE!!!! heh heh heh...ultimate excuse...that's for sure... Goodness knows it's saved my butt a million times!)

The Kuro no Tenshi 

Lady Espelle (Er, higher rating? What exactly did you mean? This will by no means become a hentai, if that's what you mean, though I don't think it was. ^^ As for raising it to PG-13, that is a possibility for future chapters. But the story overall will probably remain PG. Gomen! But glad you like everything else! Also, I love your username! And of course I want every review possible, but it's not important enough for me to ask you to spend your time on chapters you've already read. I'm just glad people are enjoying my stories. And Marie says hi back! She was so flattered, it was so cute...)   
  
sailorruss (lol. You always cheer me up.)

Linauri (Thank you ever so much! I really appreciate it!)

niner (Workin' on the next chapter of Shattered Tapestry as I you read this!)

Sakura-Star-Magick (^^ I am very proud of this story, and so very touched that so many people are enjoying it so thoroughly.)

Tsuki no Tenshi

Silver Dragonfly (THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! I really appreciate it! btw, LOVE your sn!!)

Blue Angel

Kelly (Thank you! You were the first person to provide the script by review! I reeeeeeeally appreciate it!)

Beth

AngelQueen (*pats on back* *hands tissue* there, there, don't cry! I promise a happy ending, never fear! *strikes noble pose* It's Happy-Ending-Girl to the rescue!!!)

  
Usagi_1313 

solarmistress17

Be'Jammin (Oh, drat, I forgot about Smaug. How careless of me. Oh, well, I always planned to depict dragons in my stories the way _I_ view them, anyway. And I view them as 'exquisite and beautiful.' And maybe Smaug was usually like that too... _I'd_ certainly feel pretty ferocious and nasty if people went around calling me a monster all the time and came knocking on _my_ door to kill me!!!)

Sailor Omega/White Valkerie 

Callisto Star (I tried going back to notebook, but me too lazy....*rubs sore hand* Nope, it's keyboard and .txt for me! *grins* And thanks again for the advice regarding LotR. I think my copy was from the 60's... *sweatdrop*)

Darcey ('Moving can be such a pain.' *drops head down on desk* *mutters* Don't I know it....)

**_Thanks a bunch to all who reviewed, and now on with the Show!_**

"Serena?" Hotaru asked softly, stepping out from behind a silvery-gold colored tree to see the slender girl sitting on a large boulder by a crystalline pond. Serena didn't acknowledge her. Biting her lip, Hotaru wadded up her skirt in her fist and climbed up onto the boulder, scraping her hand along the way, and sat down behind her on the moss covered stone. She looked out over the calm pond, surrounded by a sandy bank ringed with grass and moss and small flower bushes and then tall trees that gave way to paths and steps leading up to tree-dwellings. As beautiful as it was, Hotaru had not come for the view. Slowly she reached out and touched Serena's shoulder.

"Sere-chan?" Hotaru said quietly. "A-Ami-chan wanted me to tell you that…that they thought it might be best for us to all stay her for another few days, recuperate, while Ami-chan finds out if there are any Crystal Points nearby. Sh-she says it if you destroy the Ring on a Point, i-it'll be easier…" She trailed off, and sniffed, blinking back tears, when Serena still said nothing. The young teen reached out and pulled one of her princess's strands of hair back over her shoulder, running her fingers through it.

"Please, Sere-chan…talk to me…" Hotaru sniffed. "We all missed you so much…you should have seen Haruka-papa. I've never seen her so terrified... I mean, she acted so mad and tough, but her eyes…they were so scared! Even Seiya-san sensed something had happened, and came all the way from his Galaxy to see you. They're all, him and Taiki and Yaten, are waiting at home…we all missed you… Besides, we can always come back, I'm sure, or at least send letters… Remember how Chibi-Usa sent letters to her mother and father in the future? We could do the same, I'm sure Setsuna-mama would let you…"

Serena's shoulders heaved, and lowered, the gold of the chain around her neck glittering in the sunlight. Hotaru's eyes widened in hope.

"Sere-chan?" Hotaru scooted forward. "I-is what I said okay? Did I say something wrong?" No reply. Hotaru's eyes fell, and she rubbed away tears with the back of her hand, sniffing. "Okay, well… Like I said, Ami-chan wanted me to come and tell you…what I said earlier…about staying till she finds a Crystal Point… Legolas-san and Boromir-san have promised to come. The Hobbits, too. I think Aragorn wants to

come, too, though he's waiting to see if Frodo will come or not, since he promised to guard him. And you know _we'll_ be with you, every step of the way…always…" Hotaru bit her lip. "And you know, Serena, that I'll stay with you...whatever you...whatever you decide."

Still there was no reply but the gentle rise and fall of Serena's back as she gripped her legs to her chest, her head resting on top of her knees.

"Legolas-san said he'd come and get you when dinner's ready." Hotaru whispered. She reached out to touch her princess once more, but stopped. She curled her fingers against her palm, as if to hold on to the friendship she felt she was loosing with her princess. She suppressed a sniffle, turned, and started to climb back down when she heard it…

Half way down the side of the boulder, Hotaru looked up at her princess to see her in the exact same position she had been when she first found her. She listened, frozen on the side of the boulder…

There it was again!

Hotaru blinked, then chuckled, smiling as the same sound drifted softly to her ears…a gentle snore; the legendary moon princess had been asleep the entire time.

"I will take her back," A voice said softly from just behind and slightly below her. Hotaru gasped, her hand slipped, and had it not been for excellent Senshi reflexes, she would have fallen flat on her back on the damp, silvery-blue moss covered ground. As it was, she barely managed to twist her body, agile as a cat, and land on her feet. She wobbled, and Legolas reached out and grabbed her elbow to steady her.

"Thank you," She said, the symbol of Saturn on her brow reflecting a bit of sunlight as she smiled. Legolas only smiled and nodded before both glanced back up at the slumbering princess atop the boulder.

"Did you tell her?" Legolas asked, looking at the teenage warrior briefly before stepping up to the boulder. Hotaru shook her head as he began to climb.

"I think she was asleep before I even got here," She whispered. "Poor Sere-chan… When we found her…these past few days…none of us have seen her glow like that since before…before the Prince died."

"How long ago was it?" Legolas whispered down to her as he reached the top of the boulder.

"A little over a year." Hotaru said back, just loudly enough so that he could hear her as he knelt behind Serena, reached forward, and pulled her back into his arms, the Locket around her through tinkling as it shifted. Carefully, cradling the princess gently, as if she weighed nothing, he climbed back down the boulder.

"Should we wake her?" Hotaru asked reluctantly. Legolas shook his head.

"No, let her sleep. I'll take her back to her chambers. Are the Senshi and other still there?"

Hotaru shook her head.

"They left once we made the verdict." She said as they turned together and headed back for Serena's 'treehouse.' "They sent me to ask Serena if she was okay with the plan."

"I'll ask her when she wakes," He promised the shorter warrior. Hotaru looked up at him with mild surprise and amusement on her face.

"You plan to stay with her?"

"I like watching her sleep." Legolas admitted, glancing down at her slumbering face. "That's the only time she looks like what she should always look like; peaceful, without any responsibility or fates of the world resting on her shoulders."

Hotaru stopped, and Legolas paused and looked at her. Hotaru looked up at him, regarding him with large, dark royal purple eyes that spoke of many years of pain and hate, of wisdom beyond her age, and of a kindness that contradicted everything she was.

Then, without saying another word, Hotaru smiled gently, nodded, then reached out to brush a strand of hair off of Serena's forehead, turned, and walked away, leaving Legolas to feel as if he had just passed a great trial.

It was a few hours later, as he watched the lovely Lunarian princess sleeping peacefully, that Legolas made the promise to himself that he would do his best to make sure her last days in Middle Earth were as joyous as possible. And so he set to making plans for later that day...

When Serena awoke, Legolas - whom had been there the whole time just as he had promised Hotaru- told her of her Senshi's suggestion/decision to search for a Crystal Point -if they existed in the future, and had existed in the Silver Millennium as well, then they must still exist somewhere!- to destroy the Ring on, and she nodded vigorously as her face brightened like the sun at dawn.

"Sounds good to me!" She said, tossing the blankets aside. Her stomach grumbled, and she flushed sheepishly. "Er, dinner?" She asked, grinning sheepishly. Legolas only laughed and held out his hand as he stood. Serena took it and used it for leverage to pull herself to her feet, pulling to the winding stairs.

"I hear there are some late berries still good along the east side of the River," Legolas told her as they reached ground level. "Since dinner is not for another few hours, would you like to take a raft to the other side and pick some?"

"Ooooh, that sounds like _fun_!" Serena squealed, latching on to his arm and looking up at him with bright eyes. "Where are the boats?"

"Just down that way, I believe," He told her, grinning in amusement.

"Race you!" Serena teased, dashing forward. It took only a quick blink and a laugh to overcome his surprise, and he was running after her, intrigued to find that as short as she was, even with his Elvin speed, he was hard pressed to keep up with her.

They found the boats easily enough, and by the time Legolas got there, Serena was already struggling to shove one into the water. Grinning, he came up behind her and poked her in the ribs. She squealed, jumped, and tripped over her own feet. Unable to hold back a laugh, Legolas caught her, grinning at the flush that covered her face as he set her back upon her feet. He tapped her on the nose affectionately before turning

and, with a heave, shoving the sleek little boat into the shimmering waters. 

"Come on!" He called to her, standing shin deep in water, holding onto the boat as he held out his hand to her. She splashed into the water, skirts lifted almost indecently high to keep them out of the water and displaying a good deal of long, elegant leg in the process. She took his hand, and managed to trip and stumble into the boat without getting all that wet. Legolas shoved away from the shore with one last push as he swung himself into the boat beside her.

Serena grabbed an oar and stuck it into the water and heaved a grand stroke that sent them spinning. She shrieked and dropped the oar as she clutched the rim of the boat. Legolas's arm lashed out and snatched the oar from the water. Gripping the other one, he slipped both into the water and gave the appropriate strength for the appropriately placed strokes to righten the boat. Serena looked at him sheepishly as he gave her a raised eyebrow.

"You've never been in a boat before, have you?" He asked her. Flushing sheepishly, she shook her head.

"Not really. I went on a few with..." she swallowed thickly, but continued. "With Darien once or twice, but he always did the rowing. That was about it... Well, I sneaked aboard a cruise ship once, but that ended really bad since the cruise ship turned out to be a trap to gather hostages for energy…" Serena said. This led to, upon Legolas's inquisition, a detailed story of the hows, whens, and whys of this particular adventure.

"And you and your Senshi did this sort of thing often?" Legolas asked, slightly surprised. "When you were only children?"

"It was only a few years ago," Serena said in defense.

"Yes, but you did not have the knowledge, the memories and wisdom from your previous lives as you do now," Legolas pointed out. "So for all purposes, you were children, whereas now you are a good thirty-thousand years old, or might as well be."

"We were fourteen!" Serena argued, miffed. "Young, maybe, but we weren't _children!_" Legolas's lips quirked slightly.

"Yes, and I was nearly a thousand before I was allowed into my first real fight." He said.

"Then maybe that just means you mature slower." Serena said smugly. Legolas blinked in slight surprise. No one had ever dared make that suggestion before an elf! At least, not till now. Surprising even himself, he laughed.

"Maybe," He grinned. "Or perhaps 'tis simply cultural and parenting differences, hm?"

"If you mean that humans let their children go into battle younger than elves do, then, well, I guess so," Serena said. "But I wouldn't know for sure, because everyone's different, and besides, my parents never knew."

"Never knew?" Legolas frowned slightly. "Your parents never knew of these escapades in which you frequently came near death?" 

"Nope." Serena shook her head, her hair swaying with the movement and the gentle wind. "And hopefully never will."

"Hopefully?" Legolas echoed. "Why would you say such a thing? Don't you want their support?"

"Support?" Serena sighed. "Yeah, sure, 'Hey, mom, dad, guess what? I'm a reincarnated Moon Princess who saves the Universe on a regular basis. Oh, and I can uses magic, too, on top of it all!' If I'm lucky, they would just think I'd gotten my dates mixed up and thought it was April 1st." She sighed.

"April First?" 

"A holiday," Serena shrugged. "It's when you play tricks and jokes on each other."

"You're parents hold you in low enough regard that they would believe something you told them to be a jest?" Legolas asked incredulously.

"Well, no…" Serena said slowly. "It's just that…well… I tend to act like I'm not the…brightest person. Plus, I know magic is common here, but the time I come from, it's extinct. Bye Bye. Gone. Zippo. Invisible. Nada. Not there. A fairy tale. Plus, a Moon Princess? People who honestly believe there are beings on the moon usually end up in insane asylums….places for people who have something wrong with them up here," she tapped her temple. She shrugged. "Besides, even if I did go to the effort to prove it,

which I guess I could, I just couldn't do that to them. They love me, and to know that I battle evil monsters on an almost daily basis, even if I do have backup, that would kill them, especially knowing that there's nothing they could do to help. Even Sammy would be…" She sighed. "Sammy can be a sweetie, but he might let something slip, and if someone…not friendly were to hear, it could raise suspicions. I know _I'd _be okay; I've got my powers and my Senshi, but _they_ could get hurt…" She shrugged. "Well, you see my point."

"Indeed, I do," Legolas nodded thoughtfully, looking past her to the west bank which was indeed lined with blackberry-like bushes. He then looked at her, an amused, wry smile on his face. "For someone who claims to be held as a 'less than bright' person, you have a notable amount of insight."

"Only when I'm around you!" Serena assured him firmly. "I don't know what gets me when I'm around you. I suddenly feel…_smart_, which is really weird, because I am so _not_ smart."

"Why do you say that?" Legolas was beginning to dislike the way she spoke about herself so lowly. He was beginning to dislike it quite a bit.

Serena blushed.

"It's not that difficult to see," She said, rolling her eyes. "I'm clumsy, I cry at every little thing, I eat like a pig, I sleep a lot, I'm not very strong-"

"None of that has to do with being intelligent or not," Legolas told her. "Those are simply habits that some would find undesirable, but not intolerable."

"I guess…" Serena shrugged, unused to having someone not mind her flaws. Even Darien had commented they were annoying. "But I can't keep my mind focused on anything for long, my grades in school are horrible, my hand writing –not to mention spelling and grammar- is terrible, I can't pronounce anything properly, I can't study because I can't focus, therefore I'm constantly failing tests, and…" She looked at him helplessly. "You see?"

"No, I don't."

Serena blinked. "What?"

"I don't think I see what you're trying to convey to me," Legolas told her. "Because it isn't there. Can't concentrate in class, you say? Have you considered that is because that, in a way, you already know what's being taught, from lessons from your past life, therefore you subconsciously feel no need to pay attention? Perhaps some part of you remembers already learning these lessons when you were this 'Princess Serenity?' Or mayhap 'tis simply lack of sleep?"

"But you know me, I sleep _all_ the time!" Serena whined.

"Did it ever occur to you," He said after a moment of regarding her. "That perhaps you need more sleep, more sustenance, because you are not fully human? That the environment of earth is different enough from that of the Moon that it is a strain on you, requiring that you sleep and eat more than a pure human would?"

Serena blinked rapidly.

"You know…" She said after a moment. "Not only did I understand that, which is freaky enough, but Ami-chan did once mention that maybe when I was reborn, I retained some of my Lunarian blood, that I was only part human. Raye dismissed it though…she said that if that were true, then I shouldn't be as clumsy as I was." Serena flushed. "Lunarians are supposed to be graceful."

"So are elves, but even they have their times of...lack of grace when turning from a child into an adult." This seemed like a confession that not many non-elven beings were privied to. "Has it occurred to any of your friends that mayhap since Lunarians are so long lived, it also takes them longer to grow out of adolescent awkwardness?"

Serena blinked.

"Okay, stop it, you're making me feel like a decent person whose flaws aren't all that many after all and it feels weird." Serena told him. Legolas laughed. Serena blushed as the boat touched the western shore, and Legolas jumped out, getting wet up to his thighs, and trudged through the water to the bank where he gripped the end of the boat and tugged it far enough up onto land that the currents wouldn't sweep it away.

He held out a hand to Serena, who took it and stepped out of the boat and into ankle deep water, holding her skirts out of the reach of the clear liquid as she stepped onto dry land.

Once she let down her skirts Legolas, on a whim that most would say was unlike him, pulled her into an affectionate embrace. He pulled away long and far enough to place a gentle kiss on the bridge of her nose.

"You are far, far more than decent." He told her. Serena blushed again, but said nothing as he took her hand in his, and lead her up the bank where they found a small, sunlit clearing sprinkled with patches of wildflowers and surrounded by thornless bushes. And, just as they had hoped to find, the bushes were filled with late batches of cherry-red berries.

"Neato!" Serena squealed, and grabbed a handful of berries and jammed them all into her mouth. "Yummy yummy yummy!" She mumbled through mouthfuls of berries, the juice trickling down her chin. Legolas found a place to sit on a root arching up out of the ground next to a thick tree. He used it as a nice lounging chair, leaning against the tree with one leg bent and the foot resting on the root, his other leg hanging down

lazily.

He sat there, wind moving the leaves of the trees above, the sunlight streaming through them to play a dappled, light-and-shadow pattern over his face as he watched her gather up her skirt in front of her to make a basket it and fill it with berries. She plopped down in the very center of the clearing, pure sunlight surrounding her in a golden aura as she kept the berries in her lap, eating one now and again as she picked flowers and weaved and strung them together into a thick, complex floral tiara.

When it was done, she examined it, added a flower here or there, then settled it on her head, pulling her hair through it and placing it around her buns, the top of it resting just above her bangs.

"Hey cutie, what are you doing staying over there?" She called to him as she popped another berry into her mouth. She waved him over. "C'mon! Help me make some tiaras for the others, _pleeeeeeease_?" She gave him a look, big eyes, pouty lips, fluttering eyelashes that he swore literally made his heart melt.

He swung his other leg down beside his other limb and slipped down off the root and came over to her, grinning. He sat down behind her, pulling her into his lap, she being careful of the berries. She turned her head, grinning and smiling, her face as shinning as the sunlight she was bathed in, and pecked him on the nose before returning to the task of weaving another floral tiara.

Legolas's arms lingered around his waist, the scent of her and her hair and the flowers in that hair tickling his senses. He had an idea, and since he knew he'd be inapt at weaving the little tiaras, he instead reached over and began plucking a small bundle of long stemmed wildflowers. Setting them down beside him, he took one and began weaving it into one of her streamers of hair.

Serena stopped and looked at him over her shoulder with surprise. He grinned at her, and her eyes widened in delight as she giggled and returned to her own task, eating a berry every now and again. She even ever so often would put her hand up over her shoulder and hand one to Legolas.

An idea came to her once, and, grinning deviously, she waited till his hands were occupied with her hair, and she put another berry up. Unable to remove either of his hands from his task and risk having to start all over again by doing so, Legolas was forced to take the berry with his lips. Somehow, knowing she'd timed the berry-giving appropriately, he nipped her fingers in revenge, making her squeal and retract her hand.

Both grinned, Serena giggling as she gave him an impish look over her shoulder before returning to her task.

"Hey, Legolas?" She asked after a moment.

"Yes?" He sounded slightly distracted as he reached the end of one of her streamers and was trying to tie off the weaving chain of flowers with a long blade of grass. She grinned.

"Does this count as a date?" She asked him sweetly. Legolas paused.

"If you mean an outing of the courtship sort, then," He finished tying off the flowers in her hair. "Then yes, I suppose it is." He picked up another flower and began on her other streamer of hair. A sniffling was heard... With the flower halfway weaved into her hair, Legolas stopped and turned her in his arms so that she was sitting sideways, and he could see her face better.

"What is it?" He asked her. She looked up into his openly concerned face, and with a happy sniffle, she snuggled deeper into his arms. Legolas was briefly thankful that all the berries were gone; what a sticky mess that would have made!

"Serena?" Legolas brushed the still un-flowered ponytail back over her shoulder, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm okay," She said softly. She looked up at him, smiling brightly. "It's just always been a secret, mushy dream of mine to do something like this. Just sit in a park or garden and just…be together. Eat berries, or something, do some sort of craft like make flower tiaras or build a mud castle, then get ice-cream and go swimming, or something…" She hugged him again. "I just realized just how happy I am here, now, is all." He returned the embrace, settling her snugly in his arms.

"I'm…" His lips turned upwards in a gentle smile. "I'm happy, too." He told her. Her only response was to sigh contentedly. Laying snuggled in his arms, she seemed to almost go to sleep as Legolas picked up another flower and began on her hair once more.

By the time he was done, she was fast asleep, and the sun was nearing the point of being considered near the evening. Loath to do it but not wanting her to have bad dreams from the cold or to worry anyone, Legolas tried to gently shake her away. She only mumbled something and remained asleep. Remembering the last time he had tried to wake her, Legolas reached over and picked up a discarded berry. He parted her lips with his fingers, and slipped it inside her mouth, and kissed her on the nose. She stirred, felt the berry in her mouth, and will a little smile, chewed, swallowed, and opened her eyes.

"Guess I fell asleep, huh?" She said sheepishly.

"I don't mind." He told her. "I like watching you sleep." She blushed, making him smile all the more. She shifted.

"It's chilly…" She said.

"Which is why I woke you," He told her. He glanced pointedly up at the sky. "We should get back." She pouted.

"We probably missed dinner…" She said. She brightened. "I don't care, though. This was way funner."

"Funner?" Legolas raised an eyebrow at her slightly. She blushed.

"Er…more fun?"

"There you go." He kissed her forehead once more before pulling himself and her to their feet.

"Haruka-chan's gonna have a fit when she finds out where I was." Serena sighed as they walked back to the boat. Legolas helped her climb in before shoving off and jumping in himself, settling himself across from her, oars in hand.

"Then we will simply tell her you were sleeping." He said. "'Tis the truth, after all." Serena blinked in surprise, then giggled. The sight of her laughing, her cheeks flushed, her entire form illuminated by the rosy golden light of the sunset made his own smile widen.

"Okay!" She said. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then made a face when she pulled her hand away. "Eeeew…my hands are all sticky…" She looked down at her dress in horror, realizing for the first time what a mess she'd made of herself. "Oh, no! My dress!" She wailed. "What am I gonna do? It was a gift from Galadriel-sama!"

Legolas suddenly remembered both the trick with the berry, and what Serena had said about the outing being one of her secret dreams… Hadn't she mentioned swimming had been a part of that dream? He grinned…

"Here, let me see that," He said perfectly innocently, his face straight as he set the oars back inside the boat and reached for her. She moved towards him, holding out a part of her hem that was soiled. He moved to touch it…

Elvin speed and grace aiding him, he stood up without tipping the boat, scooped the Moon Princess up into his arms, and dumped her unceremoniously into the river. She came to the surface sputtering and utterly disheveled, her hair plastered to her face, flowers floating away from her, the floral tiara askew on her head as she glared up at him. She opened her mouth to screech something indignant -she wasn't sure what- but she froze when she saw the subject of her glares and sputtering rages peal off shirt and tunic and dive into the water beside her with barely a ripple.

Serena abruptly realized that the skirt of her gown was floating up all around her, and she flushed as she realized what a view one would get if one were to look up at her from below. She hastily grabbed her skirts and tried to pull them down…but the only way to hide what should be hidden was to wrap the skirt around her knees, which prevented her legs from kicking to keep her afloat. Before she was able to find an alternate solution, though, something grabbed her ankle, and she barely had time to hold her breath before

she was tugged under the water. Her skirts billowed around her in a mass of pale pink. That, coupled with the cloud of golden that was her hair made it impossible to see anything.

She shrieked, air from her lungs escaping into the crystalline water; someone was tickling her!

"Stop it!" She tried to yell, forgetting that she was underwater. She choked, tried to gasp for air, but there was none; water filled her lungs as she slapped at her dress and hair. Somehow she managed to get all her hair out behind her, but her dress was still in the way! She pawed at it; it tangled around her arms. 

Suddenly, she was free! She didn't know if it was a result of her struggling or the work of the pale-blonde elf that now held her face in his hands, his mouth over hers, pushing air into her lungs as he propelled them up towards air.

They broke the surface, both of them gasping as Serena choked. Legolas kept her afloat as she concentrated on getting the water out of her lungs and trading it for air. When she was breathing normally, she looked up at Legolas, debating on whether or not to slug him or kiss him. She decided on neither, and laughed; it hadn't been his fault she'd been stupid enough to try and talk underwater.

"I'm sorry," He told he earnestly, unsure of why she was laughing. "I forgot about the dress… I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay," Serena laughed, not noticing that she was as well as in her underwear. Though white and gauzy, the material of the strip of cloth wrapped around her bosom and underwear weren't transparent when wet, but were completely opaque and practically sparkled and shimmered; she might as well have been wearing a bikini. She also noticed that Legolas was politely not looking at anything but her face, even though hardly anything showed above the water. Then again, with how clear the water was, the water might as well have not been there.

Serena was still having a hard time swimming, her skirts were interfering so. Looking down at herself, she realized that the dress might as well have not even been there, it was so transparent. Not knowing, with her innocence, what her following action could have been interpreted as, she gripped the side of the boat and wiggled out of the gown and tossed it into the boat.

"You're sure you're all right?" Legolas, a slight flush on his cheeks, asked while glancing away, and she grinned. 

"I'm fine!" She said. She grinned wolfishly. "But you're not!" With that, she linked her hands together and shoved a mini-tidal wave of water at the elven prince, who raised a hand to shield himself.

"Hey, now!" He protested. He grinned, and dived under the water. Serena shrieked as something brushed past her leg. She looked down through the glass-clear water to see Legolas swimming down, down… He turned back upwards, propelling himself faster and faster… What was he doing? Too late Serena answered her own question as Legolas burst upwards, breaking the surface at impressive speed and letting him fall back down to the water. As he hit the water, he used his full body weight to cause a huge splash to

completely engulf the golden haired girl that tried to swim away, but had failed to do so in time.

"Hey, not fair!" She screeched. "I'm smaller than you!"

"Unfortunate for you, lucky for me," He laughed mischievously, surfacing once more. Serena pouted, then, taking in a big breath of air, dived under the water. She turned on her back, facing upwards. Knowing he could see her, she beckoned with a wave of her arm, and he came diving down after her. She turned, kicking and stroking her arms furiously as she swam for the bottom.

Nearing a tall, pointed rock, she arched her back and looped around it, intending to pop out from behind it to surprise him. She blinked in surprise when she came back around it to find that he was nowhere in sight…

Too late did she remember that she was underwater and that gravity might as well have not have existed there. She felt the whoosh of water moving as something came down behind her, and lithe, muscled arms came around her from behind and brought her naked back against a strong, bare chest.

She squeaked, loosing air, and struggled, but it was useless. The arms around her moved down to her wrists, and brought them up so that her own arms were crossed over her chest. She looked over her shoulder, kicking to keep her place, to see Legolas grinning. He released her wrists, and her arms stayed where they were as his hands moved down to her hips to grip her gently as he turned her around to face him. His arms slid around her once more as he brought her against him. 

Something clicked inside them both...

...And his head moved down to kiss her soundly, the exchange of air between them making the act even more thrilling as they seemed to hover there, her tresses a shimmering cloud of gold and silver around them, obscuring them from view as their embrace tightened.

Serena felt her breath literally stolen from her, for as sweet as the few kisses she and Darien had shared, this one made her feel inexperienced, a child at her first school dance.

Lack of air made them pull away all too quickly, and, still holding her tightly to him, Legolas pulled them both to the surface. They broke into the air, breathing heavily. The moment their lungs were satisfied, they drew together once more. She slanted her lips against his, to allow him more access, and that more access he took advantage of, stroking, pulling, even gently nipping at her sweetly full lips. She followed his lead, pulling at his mouth for more until she once again was gasping. Neither of them wanting to stop for more than a few moments, they took to taking tiny gasps between brisk, sweet, suckling kisses.

An apocalypse couldn't have broken them out of their own little world, but three outraged cries of three particular persons did…

They broke away abruptly, Serena flushed, lips plump and bruised, too look in the same direction as Legolas. Her eyes widened and she shrinked against him. Elf and Lunarian looked at each other, and together they chimed, "Uh-oh."

**To Be Continued…**

**ATTENTION:**

Normally I wouldn't have posted this chapter for another week, since I don't allow myself to post a chapter until I have at least four chapters after it completed, and I only have the next three chapters for this one done. But, today is a special occasion, in that...

**_IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!_***dances*

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *does backflips* YAHOOOOOOOOIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

*ahem*

*contains and calms self*

Anyhoo, so since it's my birthday I decided to do something for all my adoring fans and post this chapter early. *grins* I figured this would be an extra good one, too, since it had a few...elements a lot of you romance-lovers have been waiting for. *giggles*

Now, next important thing...

Okay, I know Legolas is from Mirkwood, and that he's a prince there, but does anyone know the name of the place where the King of Mirkwood (Does anybody know Legolas's dad's name while I'm asking?) and everybody resides? Is it just Mirkwood, or is there a city, like Lothlorien is in Lorien? And does Legolas have any siblings? I know, I know, I'm lazy for not looking it up myself, but it's a simple fact of nature that time doesn't seem to stretch to give me more time when I need it. Meaning I'm just too busy. If no one knows, I will just improvise (goodness knows I've gotten enough practice at it with this fic!) but I'd rather have accurate info before attempting to write the scene where they all reach Legolas's home. Is there even a palace or anything? Or is it like Lothlorien where that entire section of forest is just one big outdoor dwelling? GACK! I feel so lazy for not just looking it up...but like I said, time is cruel to me....

Anyhoo, once again, I cannot even come close to expressing my gratitude towards those whom have taken the time go give their insight/opinion/encouragement for this story, be it a simple 'nice, keep it up' sorta thing.

Until next time!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	13. Chapter Twelve: The Companionship ::End ...

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Twelve**

_by Makura Koneko_

**ATTENTION:**

_It has come to the attention of my blonde mind that I have totally screwed up the ages. If Serenity was born_

_right around the time of the War of the Ring (when Isiludur cut the Ring, you know?) and then was three_

_thousand years old when the Moon Kingdom fell, that would mean that the Moon Kingdom goes 'kaboom'_

_around the same time as my story is set in. So, as of this chapter, the Senshi, all of them, including Serena_

_ were TEN THOUSAND when the Moon Kingdom fell, making the fall of the Moon Kingdom seven thousand_

_years into the future, from the date of the destruction of the Ring. Yes, I know, I'm majorly stretching ages_

_and stuff, but hey, my story! *loves saying that* I am working on going back and reposting the chapters that_

_mention that blooper and fixing them, to be reposted once I find the time._

_Second, this is my most AU chapter so far, the main AU note being that while Gandalf is still immortal, I'm_

_giving him a family,  mainly a grandfather._

_And now, to continue move things along..._

**BIG THANKS TO:**

**Sera Luanma**

****

**HIkari**

**Lady Artemis**

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**Linauri **(OMG I can't thank you enough for all that info and for that link!!!! *hugglez*)

**ChibiTenshi**

**bee**

**Sailor Star Scream**

****

**Rheia **

****

**star0704**

****

**SerenityLNguyen**

****

**solarmistress17 **

****

**Ray of Hope **(*buries face in hands with embarrassment* I know, I know, I've always asked too many questions...

but just think, with every question you all answer, every bit of info you contribute, you make the story better! Not me, you!)

**The Kuro no Tenshi**

****

**Hikari**

**siren **(*giggles* naw, you weren't that off-tune. *wink*)

**Lyndzi**

**Lady Silence**

****

**Celestial DreamBLaze**

****

**sailorbardock1980 **

****

**Silver-Star**

****

**SilverRose82**

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**Tsuki no Tenshi**

**saturnpyroprincess **

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**12**

**sailorruss**

**Serene**

**Teri **

**Mooney**

**Katlin Grace**

**_On to the part everyone's been waiting for..._**

"What the **_hell_** do you think you were doing?" Haruka advanced on the man that was just as tall as she was,

something that she was not used to, which made her all the angrier. She glared into the ice blue eyes of the

elven prince that she'd caught _kissing her_ koneko -never mind she'd been kissing him back and hadn't

seemed to mind in the least. Haruka faintly took note of Boromir,  and Raye -as well as Gimli who

seemingly popped out of nowhere-demanding Serena to tell them a) if she was all right and b) what she had

been thinking, being out in the river, alone with him, in her underwear, and letting him even _touch_ her!

"I was only doing what you told me to do months ago, Raye," Serena defended herself, a stubborn glint in

her eyes. Haruka heard this, and whirled on Raye, leaving Legolas to accept a towel that Hotaru handed to

him. He gave her a grateful look, seeing the amused twinkle in her eye, and suppressed a sigh as she went

and handed one to Serena, and set on drying her princess's hair with another.

"You told her to go around kissing inhuman beings she barely knows?" Haruka growled lowly. Raye

blinked and stepped back.

"What? No!" She glared at Serena. "I told her to stop moping over what was done and gone and get on with

her life!" She threw Serena a second glare. "I told her maybe she should start dating…" She rounded on

Serena. "But 'dating' is different than kissing another guy half naked in the middle of a river one hundred

billion years into the past!" She screeched. She met Serena's defiant eyes, growled in frustration and

whirled, only to come face to face with Ami.

"I'm right, aren't I Ami-chan?" Raye asked of the blue haired girl. Ami said nothing and looked at Serena,

then to Legolas who came up beside her, drying his hair with the towel. She swallowed and looked down as

Frodo stepped into view and walked up beside her. He took her and squeezed it. She smiled at him gently,

then bit her lip…

"Ami-chan?" Serena asked softly, seeing the look in her friend's eyes. "Ami? What's wrong?"

"Aimes?" Raye placed a concerned hand on the blue eyed girl's shoulder. Ami's free hand clenched into a

fist as she looked away. She took a deep breath and looked up at Serena, and only Serena.

"I've finished my scans," She said in a soft voice. Serena's eyes widened slightly…her hand reached back,

and met Legolas's hand halfway. Her fingers slipped through his, and he grasped her hand tightly.

"What did they say?" Boromir demanded. Ami swallowed.

"I'm so sorry, Serena…" Ami choked. It occurred to Serena briefly that not all this grief was for her…her

eyes flitted to Ami's and Frodo's joined hands, then back to Ami's face.

"What is it, Ami?" Serena asked gently, her voice that of a princess's. Ami took a deep breath and steadied

herself. 

"Serena," Ami said. "I…I finished my scans, and… We…we thought we had at least a month…at least a

month till your shell deteriorated, but…"

"Just _say_ it, Ami!" Serena pleaded.

"You have two weeks and three days exactly." Ami stumbled out. "Until your shell deteriorates." She

swallowed. "And…and I found a Crystal Point. Or, what will eventually be a crystal point. The magic

around there is still raw, but I think we can…" Frodo touched her arm as she trailed off, and she forced

herself to take note of Serena's vacant eyes.

"Serena…" Ami started.

"Did we miss dinner?" Serena asked.

"How could you think of food at a-" Raye's rant was cut off by Boromir's hand over her mouth. She glared

at him, and he glared back.

"No, you didn't," Hotaru said. "We had gone to get you to see if you were awake to bring you to dinner

when we found you missing, and went looking for you." Serena nodded.

"We should go eat," Serena said softly. She smiled at Raye. "I'm okay," She told her. "I just…let me adjust,

okay, guys?"

"Anything you want, koneko," Haruka said, hugging the small girl. "Anything." She turned to the others.

"You heard the princess. Let's go eat. We'll hear all about what you've discovered about that Crystal Point

afterwards, Ami." Haruka and Ami's eyes met, and an understanding passed between them, and they

nodded. Haruka looked at Raye, whom had been released. The raven haired girl nodded, stepped forward,

and hugged Serena. These previously rare displays of affection had grown in frequency as of late.

"Dinner sounds great," She said, smiling before stepping away. Hand in hand, a silent Legolas and Serena

headed for the dining hall, followed by three equally silent Senshi, the RingBearer, and one Fellowship

warrior.

"She doesn't blame you." Frodo told Ami. She paused outside the golden, lacy, latic-like doors that lead

into the same dining hall that they'd eaten in the day before. She paused before entering, turned and looked

at him, tears in her eyes.

"How can she not?" She sniffed. "I'm always the one that brings her this sort of bad news. Raye confirms it,

usually. You saw the way she looked at me!"

"I saw the way she looked, period." Frodo said. "But not at you. Never you. Are you the only one that

cannot see how she loves you, just as she loves the others?"

"I don't deserve that love." Ami said softly.

"No one ever deserves love like she can give it." Frodo told her. "It makes me wonder who has shown _her_

such unconditional love that she is able to turn around and give it out to others so freely. It makes me

wonder even more if that being loves us as well. A comforting though, eh?"

"Yes, very," Ami said. She smiled slightly and looked at Frodo shyly. "Thank you, Frodo-san." She said.

"Please, just Frodo." He told her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. She returned the gesture, and,

surprising even herself, she stepped forward and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before whirling and

quickly entering the dining hall, a smiling Frodo just behind her.

"I hate to interrupt," Raye said, her tone implying that she really didn't regret it at all as her voice cut

through the other little conversations that were occuring up and down the privet dining all table. "But since

Ami-chan is still too depressed about having had to deliver such bad news earlier, I thought it safe to claim

the role of bring out this." With that, out of her pocket she pulled a folded piece of parchment.

The Senshi's eyes lightened in recognition.

"What is that?" Boromir inquired.

"It's a list of questions we keep forgetting to ask you guys." Hotaru asked.

"Before we get off track," Raye cut in. "First question; who were those creepy shadowy creatures you guys

were being attacked by when we showed up?"

"They are the Nazgul," Aragorn said, toying with a piece of bread. "Wring Wraiths. We have told you about

the Rings of Power; the Ring Wraiths were once the nine human kings that, out of greed, wore and used the

Rings too much, and thus became as they are now. Not living, not dead, filled with whatever evil Sauron

chooses to inflict upon them."

"So…" The eyes of the Senshi turned to Serena.

"They were after Serena, yes." Legolas confirmed what they were thinking.

"Looks like we had good timing," Raye smirked.

"Think they'll try again?" Hotaru asked.

"Undoubtedly," Gandalf said. "But I have no doubt we are safe here from their reach. And when we leave, I

am confident with all of us, we will be sufficient protection."

"Damn right our protection will be sufficient!" Haruka growled.

"Aw, so glad you want to keep me around!" Serena grinned teasingly. Haruka only grumbled, though her

eyes sparkled.

"Next question!" Hotaru chirped, taking the list from Raye. "Hmm…okay, Gandalf, this one's for you; how

did you get down where you were, in that chasm?"

Gandalf set down his goblet and dabbed his mouth with a napkin, a thoughtful expression on his face before

he began. "As I said before," He started. "It's a long story."

"We're listening." Haruka leaned back in her chair, tipping it back slightly as she placed her feet up on the

table, crossing them at the ankles. She ignored the reproachful looks she was receiving. Gandalf chuckled.

"Very well," He said. "I suppose it begins when we were unable to further head towards Mordor by way of

the mountains, due to Saruman -a nasty vermin I will explain about later- causing a harsh blizzard to go

against us. So we took to the mines of Moria, only to discover they had been empty for some time due to all

their occupants being slaughtered by goblins and their master- a creature that the dwarves had accidentally

awakened- a balrog."

"Description…?" Raye prompted.

"A large, vile creature from the fiery depths of the deepest, darkest places of the earth." Gandalf told them.

"A being crafted entirely from shadow and fire and evil. When the dwarves dug too deep and too greedily,

they awoke him, and he brought upon them the goblins and his own wrath. We had hoped our presence

would go unnoticed, but by a misfortune we were found out. We had fled for the bridge of Khazad-dum,

being assaulted by goblins on the way, when suddenly they all turned and fled. Then the belrog made itself

known, and we ran."

"And you did something stupid like stay behind to guard the bridge or something so the others could get

away," Raye finished. "And you got dumped down the chasm."

Gandalf chuckled. "Again, you seem to have boiled down my story to its essence. But yes, I did stay behind

in an effort to prevent it from passing, and in my effort fell down to the depths of the chasm."

"But you won!" Hotaru said. "And you landed on the ledge, and you're okay, and I'm willing to bet that

balrog-youma isn't!" Gandalf smiled.

"I hope so, little one," He said. "And if I may be so bold as to inquire, how did you end up on that ledge

with me?"

"That's something we've been wanting to know, too," Haruka asked. "How did you two show up in the

middle of the fight, out of thin air?"

"It's taken me a while to figure that one out," Hotaru said. She looked proud of herself as she looked at

Gandalf. "When you tried to stop the belrog from passing, did you let out some sort of burst of light? Of

power?"

"Indeed, I did," Gandalf nodded. "I used that which was granted to me as the guardian of the flame of

Anor."

Serena choked on her drink, and all eyes turned to her.

"Serena?" Boromir asked. "Are you all right?"

"D-did you say Anor?" Serena gasped. Gandalf nodded.

"Indeed I did," He said, his eyes and voice curious. "Why?"

"Uh, guys…" Serena looked to her Senshi. "Do you guys remember the ancient Lunarian word for the Pillar

of Prayer, in that sacred room that only my mother and me were allowed to enter? Remember the shards that

were there, and how Mina pulled the Sword of the Moon from the base of the thing of shards?"

"Yeah, I remember Queen Selenity telling us that it was what was left of the Pillar of the Moon." Ami

nodded. "And you ask about the ancient Lunarian word for it?" Serena nodded. Suspicion began to rise in

her eyes as she thought for a moment, then her eyes widened considerably.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Serena said excitedly.

"For once." Raye muttered. "I remember, too," She said as way of explanation. She jerked a thumb at

Gandalf. "But how can he be the Guardian of the Pillar? Even if the Moon Kingdom still exists in this time,

as Selenity's daughter, it was Serena that was it's guardian."

"Remember the shards? The shattered remains of the Pillar?" Serena said excitedly. "Remember how every

one hundred years, the Pillar would shatter, and only the prayers of the Lunarians would bring it back

together?"

"Yes…" Ami began. "I do hope you are going somewhere with this, Serena. Remember, you have far more

memories from the Silver Millennium than we do."

"Gandalf-san," Serena turned to Gandalf. "On the Moon, in the center of the Moon Palace, we had a special,

sacred room that only my mother and I were allowed to enter. In the center of that room was the Pillar of the

Moon, also called the Prayer Pillar. But it's ancient name, the name only used by my mother and I, was

Anor. Every hundred years the Pillar would shatter from the greed and hate that built up in the universe, and

each shard was called a flame of Anor. A ceremony took place right after the shattering, with the Senshi and

all royalty of the moon leading the entire Moon Kingdom in a wishful prayer to have the Pillar restored. It

always worked.

"Now, it was in legends that in times of great need, the Pillar would transport its queen to safety upon the

prayers of the people of the moon. 

"Now, when I was two thousand -physically only eight- I was kidnapped to be held for ransom. The ransom

was my mother, the Queen. She, of course, willingly gave herself while I ran back to the palace. The only

thing I can think of is that the Pillar sensed us in trouble, and tried to send us both to a safe place during the

Shattering. But our prayers -my mother's and mine- for each other's safety confused the Pillar, and it

shattered before it's hundredth year, unable to send either of us to safety through its half formed

transportation spell."

"I get it…you're thinking that when it shattered, one of the shards got sent to earth through the half-formed

transportation spell." Ami said. "It is plausible, and more than likely true." She frowned, thinking. "So if

you were born around the time the Ring of Power was created -three thousand years ago- and you were two

thousand when this happened, then that means this shard would have been on earth for roughly one

thousand years."

"The crystal that was in the top of your staff!" Hotaru exclaimed. "Remember it flashed when we both

touched it? And we ended up with the others during their fight!" She looked to Raye and Ami and Haruka.

"You guys wished for me to be there to help, am I right?"

They nodded.

"Well, then there you go!" The Senshi of Silence said happily. "Since we are each touched by Moon Power,

it must have sensed your prayers, and tried to bring me to you, but it wasn't able to until Gandalf touched it."

"Why would that be?" Legolas mussed.

"Think about it," Raye said. "Gandalf is a wizard. His body must be packed with magic. The shard just

tapped into that."

"Amazing…" Gandalf said, lifting his staff from where he had leaned it against the table, twisting it around

and around and looking up at the shard of quartz-type crystal. "All this time…"

"If it reacts to you, then you truly are a Guardian of the Flame of Anor," Serena said, suddenly solemn.

"But how can that be?" Raye frowned. "The Anor -the Pillar- only reacted to Lunarians."

"Hmmm…" Ami looked thoughtful before asking, "How long have you had the Shard, Gandalf?"

"Since I first became the Gray." Gandalf told them. "Seventy years ago."

Ami frowned, thinking. "If Serena was were born around the time the Ring of Power was created –three

thousand years ago- and was two thousand when this happened, then that means this shard would have been

on earth for roughly one thousand years."

"Then that means, right about now, on the Moon, we've taken our vows to protect the Princess..." Raye said

after a moment. "Remember we took them on our three thousandth birthdays?"

"Memories, memories..." Hotaru said with a grin.

"Who was the last Gray Wizard?" Ami asked.

"My Grandfather," Gandalf answered. "Why?"

"Did anyone have the Shard before him?"

"No, he was the one that discovered it. He never explained why he called its power the Flame of Anor." He

looked at Ami's satisfied expression with curiosity. "Why do you ask?"  
  


"It's just as I thought." Ami said with satisfaction. "Gandalf-san, I believe you may be descended from a

Lunarian."

"Care to explain why you believe this?" Gandalf said after he recovered from his surprise and once

exclamations of shock had quieted.

"First off, you just have the look of one," Ami said. "Next, I'm betting that not many other wizards have

lived as long as you and still been able to go on such adventures as you are on now, eh? And third, the

Shard. Only a pureblood Lunarian could touch and handle the Flames, or so it was said. But not all

Lunarians were very well versed in magic, so I'm thinking your expertise with the magical arts overcame

your lack of pure Lunarian blood, and the same with your Grandfather."

"It explains a great many things…" Gandalf said thoughtfully. "But that still does not explain how Hotaru

ended up on the ledge."

"Oh, yeah, duh," Hotaru looked sheepish. "Talk about off track. Anyway, what I was leading up to was that

basically light attracts darkness. When we were traveling back through time, the light in the burst of power

you let loose from the Shard attracted not only the darkness of my power, but the bit of my soul that was

touched by the same magic that makes up the very core of the Shard; Moon Power, or rather, the Silver

Crystal itself. Those two things coupled together formed a super magnet  between me and the activated

Shard, and I got sucked away from my friends and yanked to you."

"It makes more sense than a lot of other things in our quest." Boromir said, leaning back in his chair as he

took a draught of his wine.

"Okay, next question," Raye took the paper back from Hotaru. She looked at Serena. "How did you know

where Merry and Pippin were?" She jerked her head to the two aforementioned Hobbits who were still

steadily eating mushrooms of all sorts, listening to what had been going on all the while. 

"Um…woman's intuition?" Serena suggested. Raye glared. "Okay, okay, I don't know! I just got that…that

same feeling of…of being needed like I did with Boromir. I followed that feeling, and it lead me to them."

"I may 'ave 'ad some part in that!" Pippin piped up, his voice slurred by both his mouthful of mushroom

and his accent, which was similar to that of a heavy Irish/Scottish lilt.

"How?" Hotaru asked.

"While we were all tied up, I couldn't help but think th' moon was awfully bright," Pippin said, eating

another mushroom. "I guess part of me muddled mind remembered 'ow me mother used to tell me that

when th' moon was bright, it meant a guardian angel was near. I didn't actually think it, but I guess I might

have sort of made a half-wish for any angel of the moon near to come and help us." He shrugged. "Mayhap

that had somethin' to do with it."

"_Pieces and pieces fall into place, while the snow falls and frosts the lakes_," Ami said. She grinned

sheepishly. "Part of a poem I wrote once. It seemed appropriate for this talk we've been having." 

"You write poems?" Frodo asked from beside her. She blushed and nodded.

"She writes really good lyrics and songs, too!" Serena provided, grinning as Ami's blush deepened.

"Really?" Frodo grinned. "My uncle, Bilbo, often wrote songs of his own to pass time on his travels."

"Cool!" Raye smiled. "I would love to hear some of them. I write songs and music, too. We'll have to get

together some time and write a song together." She said.

"That sounds like fun." Ami smiled gently. Smiles were passed all around, and conversation seemed to

dissipate once more back into the small exchanges that had been going on previously.

None noticed the small, soft smile in Serena's eyes as she watched everyone converse.

Somehow she got the feeling that this happiness that she was feeling now, this was what her mother had

hoped for her daughter to have when she had sent her to earth…  How ironic that Serena would find that

happiness in the past, not the future.

Yet, they had not the time to enjoy this happiness, not really.

The royalty in Serena took over, and suddenly everyone took note of Serenity's regal pose.

"We have less than three weeks to destroy the Ring," She said, her tone full of majesty. Her eyes glittered

with the age-old wisdom of her race. "Ami, where is the Crystal Point?"

Ami set down her goblet. "Galadriel said we could have whatever we wished, so I asked for a map. Using

the map and my own scans, I've determined that the Crystal Point that I've found is the same one that will be

directly under the Crystal Palace of Crystal Tokyo. It is in a kingdom called Mirkwood." She looked to

Legolas with a small smile on her face. "I believe you are familiar with that place?"

Legolas grinned. "Indeed I am."

"How long will it take on foot to reach your kingdom?" Serena asked him. Legolas thought for a moment,

regarding the girl he was coming to love with something in his eyes...

At last, he answered. "Too long. I will ask Galadriel for the gift of a few horses, which I will have someone

return upon our arrival at Mirkwood. It should take no longer than five days of good riding to reach the

outskirts."

"Then it is decided." Serenity declared. "Tomorrow, with the leave of the Lady Galadriel, we will make for

Mirkwood and the Crystal Point to destroy the Ring."

No one dared argue with the woman that would some day be Queen of the Moon and Empress of the Stars.

"I don't think I've ever been up early enough to see the sunrise…" Serena said, standing in the same place

where she and Legolas had first kissed, looking out at the pink, peach, lavender, gold, red, and orange

streaked horizon. Legolas came up behind her, not touching her, just standing there.

"At least, not when I was calm enough to watch it and appreciate it." She added. "I mean, I got kicked out of

bed at all hours of the night all the time to fight some demony, late-night monster all the time. But even if

the fight was over and the youma was moondust by the time the sun went wakey-wakey on me, I was

always too completely zapped to pay attention."

"I can barely remember a time when I have not risen with the dawn," he told her. 

"I figured." Serena grumbled. "I never understood how you guys could willingly get up before noon. I

understood you're getting up early cuz you wanted to get to Merry and Pippin, but here we are, safe and

sound, and you guys still get up at an ungodly hour! It's insane, I tell you!" Legolas only laughed and leaned

down to kiss her on the cheek from behind.

"I came to inform you that everyone is packed and ready to go," Legolas told her. "Galadriel has ordered

each of us be provided with a change of clothes, a cloak, a new weapon, food to last us throughout our

journey, and horses."

"H-horses?" Serena squeaked, turning from the window to look wide-eyed up at Legolas; she had forgotten

about the horses Legolas had said he would request for them the day before at dinner. "As in four legged,

big-headed, snorting, stomping horses?"

"Yes…" Legolas said, giving her a curious look. "Elvish horses, to be exact. Why?"

Serena gulped and gave a nervous laugh. "Oh, nothing really, it's just…well, the last time I was on a

horse…well, er…let's just say it didn't turn out too good…heh heh…"

"You don't know how to ride?" He asked. Serena flushed and shook her head. Legolas only shook his head

slightly and grinned.

"Then I will teach you," He said.

"But…we don't have time…!" Serena protested, still hoping maybe she could get out of it. Maybe a wagon,

or something…

"I'll teach you on the way," he promised. "You can sit with me on my steed until you get the basics down,

and then we can tie your horse to mine. We'll go slow. I'm sure your Senshi will agree with me."

Serena swallowed visibly, then, slightly pale at the thought of those great beasts, nodded. "Okay." She

squeaked. Legolas tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"You'll be fine," he promised. He took her hand. "Now come on. Everyone's waiting."

At the base of the tree that supported Serena's former 'treehouse' stood all eight of the Fellowship and all

four of the Senshi, as well as fourteen pure white horses, some with white manes an tails, some with black,

others with pale gold or dark gold, and one with silver. Not gray, _silver_. The saddles were crafted of the

sturdiest, softest leather with etchings in intricate designs. Some in black, others in gold, and, once again,

one with silver. The reigns to the white, silver-haired horse and white-leather saddle with silver etchings

were held by Boromir, who turned, along with everyone else, when Serena and Legolas came into sight.

"Well, took ya long enough, meatball brains!" Raye scoffed, but her eyes were shining. She glanced

pointedly, with her eyes only, to where Ami and Frodo were standing together, each holding the reigns to

their horses, talking quietly. Serena saw this, and grinned mischievously as she and Raye exchanged

knowing winks.

"The day ages," Aragorn said, handing the reigns of a white, pale-gold haired steed to Legolas. Its saddle

was light brown leather etched in white gold. "We have much ground to cover if we are to reach our

destination in less than half a fortnight." The human king swung himself up into the saddle of his horse,

which had a black mane and black saddle, a stunning contrast against the white coat of the animal.

Serena sighed. So much for a leisurely leave. The Fellowship and Senshi mounted, but not before Legolas

tied the reigns to Serena's horse to the pommel of his saddle. He lifted Serena by her waist and sat her on

his saddle before swinging himself up behind her.

"Heh, we forgot you never did get riding down," Raye smirked as she rode by, following Aragorn down the

path. Serena stuck her tongue out at her friend, an act which Raye returned playfully. Ami chuckled, coming

up beside them, Frodo just behind her, with Haruka behind Serena and Legolas. Hotaru was up by Boromir,

the two of them chatting lightly while Raye interrogated Aragorn as to their exact route, which was

apparently a piece of information Ami had not yet disclosed to everyone.

"So where exactly are we headed again, Ami-chan?" Hotaru asked over her shoulder, riding beside Boromir

"A place I believe you, Legolas, know well," Ami said, nodding to Legolas. "A forest called 'Mirkwood.'"

She raised an eyebrow at Legolas. "I believe you introduced yourself as the son of a king there, am I right?"

Legolas smiled slightly.

"You remembered." He commented.

"Ami-chan never forgets _anything_!" Serena grinned as Ami flushed.

"I do too," Ami argued. "I'm still human."

"As human as one can be when they're the princess of Mercury and can wield magic and travel through

time," Frodo teased as he rode up beside her when the path became wide enough. Ami blushed, but her eyes

danced nonetheless.

They neared the exit to Lothlorien all too soon, and the Senshi were surprised to find a small entourage of

both mounted and on-foot elves -some obviously of the guard genre, some just curious residents- to see

them off.

One of the mounted elves, obviously a lord of some sort, on a pale golden horse, urged his mount forward

slightly, blocking the path leading out of Lothlorien and into the forest of Lorien. He bowed his head briefly

in greeting.

"_Lye arwen en tel'tuar, Galadriel, daya nimil lye ulungith he naamarie, ar'vee sinae."_ This said, he turned

and beckoned a young blonde elf maiden, carrying a large, long bundle in her arms. She brought it forward,

two other maidens -a brunette and a darker blonde- beside her.

"What did he say?" Serena whispered.

"He said Galadriel sent him and the others to convey her farewells and give us these," Legolas whispered

discreetly into her ear. They all watched as the brunette elf maiden untied the cord around the long, large

bundle in the pale blonde elf girl's arms, and folded the flaps aside. She lifted a long, beautifully carved bow

made of dark red cherry wood and engraved with beautiful elvish designs. Along with it came a quiver

made of soft, burgundy red leather, filled with black-feather fletched arrows. The brunette handed these

things to the darker blonde elf girl, who stepped forward and handed them up to Raye along with two

daggers, the hilts made of the same dark polished cherry wood and with matching engravings.

Raye's eyes bulged as she handled the gifts. She looked at the elf lord and nodded solemnly, conveying her

thanks. That done, the dark blonde elf girl went back and accepted from the brunette two rings of soft black

leather that looked like armbands. Hooked on each armband were four round metal disks, engraved with

more elvish designs. These were handed to Ami.

"Throwing stars!" Ami exclaimed. "Only they're not stars…" She examined them, and smiled. "I see, I can

secure these bands around my arms, or wrist, or ankle or leg if I'm wearing a skirt, hide them under my

clothes, and then slip one out and throw it…like mini versions of your tiara, Serena." It was obvious she was

thrilled with so elegant a weapon. She looked to the dark blonde elf girl, still standing beside her horse.

"_Diol elle_," Ami said carefully, though she said the words perfectly.

"That means 'thank you' right?" Serena whispered. Legolas smiled slightly and nodded. Serena grinned,

proud of herself for remembering.

The elf lord only nodded, smiling ever so slightly, in reply as Ami set to securing the bands halfway up her

forearms.

The gift for Haruka were twin saber swords, and a special scabbard; the scabbard was actually made of two

scabbards that crossed each other, so that when strapped to her back the hilt of each saber would peek up

above her shoulders. Haruka's delight was shining out of her eyes, even though her face was set grimly,

when she succeeded in echoing Ami's words of thanks.

From the dark blonde elven maiden Hotaru accepted a five-foot staff that could be strapped diagonally

across her back. When you popped off the top and flipped it over, it was seen that a three-foot blade was

hidden inside.

Legolas was given a set of twin daggers and a new, full quiver of arrows that matched his bow, which had

been polished and the string replaced with a new one of a sort of mithril. Aragorn also received a dagger, his

newly sharpened and polished sword returned to him, good as new. Boromir was given a new sword, as his

had been found to have flaws and cracks in it, most likely caused by the blow from the 'uber-Orc' as Ami

had called it. He had also been given a small ax that matched the sword. Gimli had refused to part with his

battle ax, and had insisted on polishing and cleaning and repairing and sharpening it himself. So instead he

received a dagger and a miniature ax that matched his main weapon.

Sting, Frodo's sword, had been cleaned and restored as only its creators could, and he now had a small

dagger to match. Sam, after having displayed a talent for the bow and arrow, it had been decided would

receive a small crossbow and a full quiver. The look on his face spoke multitudes, and small tremors of

amused laughter murmured among the onlooking elves at the delight he displayed openly.

Merry and Pippin were given matching short swords and miniature battle axes, much to their delight; both

looked upon the few lessons Boromir had given them with fondness, and looked forward to an excuse to

bully him into tutoring them further.

When the dark blonde elf maiden approached Gandalf, Serena and Hotaru exchanged looks. Gandalf had

confided in Hotaru that he would miss the blade he had lost to the chasm, Glamdring. It had taken a simple

summoning version of the 'Tassle' teleportation spell to find and summon the blade to them. Once they had

it, they had given it to the elves to be repaired and polished, to be returned to them upon their leave as a

surprise.

Also, his staff had been repaired, as only wood-workers of Lorien could, and was now reinforced with silver

and white vines wrapping around it and supporting the shard of Moon Pillar at the top. The look on

Gandalf's face when he received both staff and Glamdring had made Hotaru's heart sing as she watched

him thank the elves, then look at her with amused, delighted question in his old eyes. Hotaru was reminded

of the grandfather or father she'd never had…

And last of all, with greater reverence then with the others, all three elven maidens stepped forward and held

up to Serena, on the cushion of cloth, a silver circlet, something that looked like her Sailor Moon tiara.

Serena took it, looking it over. Yes, it did resemble her Sailor Moon tiara, only there was no 'v;' it was

perfectly round, and completely silver except for a tiny strip of gold along the bottom. Upon closer

inspection, it was seen that the strip of gold was a case that slipped off the silver part, protecting the

sharpened bottom edge of the circlet.

Serena put it on, and once she did, she understood how it worked. She would reach up and grab the silver

part of the circlet, and pull it off her head. The gold band would stay on her head, and the silver would come

away, forming an arched blade; there were two. On in the back, one in the front. When both were in the gold

band, they formed a circle. 

Unless one were to take the circlet apart or inspect it closely, it would look just as it was meant to look; a

circlet. It helped that the silver was covered in intricate designs and patterns of elvish origin.

In the way of a more normal weapon, she was given to two twin daggers and a short, slender sword with a

silver hilt and studded with pearls, diamonds, and polished marbles of moonstone. The blade glowed softly

silver in her hands when she pulled it out of the scabbard.

"It's lovely…" Serena said. She sheathed it, handing sword and daggers to Legolas and jumped down off

the horse and hugged the three elf girls, a rather amusing sight since she barely came up to their shoulders.

Smiling at each other, the elf maidens returned the embrace, and the pale blonde one settled the circlet more

firmly on the girl's head so that the band was just above her bangs, much as the floral tiara had been, the day

before.

"Thank you!" Serena chirped. She looked up at Legolas, beaming. He handed down her sword, which the

brunette elf maiden help strap around her waist with the provided belt, as well as the daggers, one around

her right thigh, another tucked into her boot. This done, Legolas held down his hand to her. Serena took it,

then paused. She bit her lip…

"I… I think…I think I want to try riding on my own." She whispered. Legolas smiled, a hint of pride in his

eyes, and nodded, releasing her hand. He untied the reigns of the silver-haired horse from his saddle and

handed them to Serena. Thinking for a moment of how to get up without her sword or hair getting in the

way, Serena stuck her left foot in the left stirrup, grabbed the edge of the saddle, reigns in one hand, and

jumped up, swinging her legs over the broad back of the horse.

When she found she was sitting astride and wasn't sprawled on the ground, she opened her eyes; she had

shut them. When she found herself perched perfectly on the back of the calm horse, she beamed at her

friends, silver-gold hair glinting in the early morning sunlight. Almost microscopic beads of early morning

mist clinging to her entire form and made her shine. Mounted on a pure white steed, silver circlet glittering,

eyes shining, silver sword at her side, she did indeed look every bit a warrior princess of the moon.

"_Diol elle._" Serena said to the elf maidens, then to the elf lord. She beamed at Legolas, then grinned at her

friends, the Senshi all lined up on her right, the Fellowship on her left.

"Where to, Aims?" Serena asked the Senshi closest to her. Ami smiled gently at the shining radiance that

surrounded her princess; her confidence was so much higher than when she had first met her!

"North," Ami said. She pointed down one of the paths leading out of the clearing that they were in, the

clearing that marked the edge of Lothlorien.

"Alrightie, then!" She crowed. "Let's move out, peop-" She paused and frowned. "Hey, you know, we gotta

think of a name to call us all." She said. Ami blinked in surprise, as did the Hobbits and Gimli. Serena rolled

her eyes. "I mean, _they're_ the Fellowship," She waved her arm to the aforementioned group. "And _we're_ the

Senshi," She continued. "But for this purpose we're all one group. So we should have a name." Her eyes

and crescent moon on her brow gave a determined glitter. Raye grinned; finally the girl was learning to use

that bright brain she'd had all along.

"I believe I may have a suggestion, my lady," Eyes turned to look at the speaker, the elf lord, with surprise.

He grinned. "I would not be much of a traveling lord if I did not know Common," he said. All at once

several members of the Fellowship looked sheepish for not thinking of that, as did some of the Senshi.

"That's okay," Serena chirped, not minding in the least. "So, what was your idea?"

"I believe, my lady, that 'the Companionship' would be an appropriate title." He said. "For are they not

'accompanying' you on your quest to the place best suited for the destruction of the Ring?"

"Blondie has a point," Raye said, referring to the elf lord. She ignored his annoyed glance. Her horse shifted

beneath her, and she laid a calming hand on his neck.

"Sounds good to me!" Hotaru said brightly.

"It does have an appropriate ring to it." Gimli said gruffly. He wasn't used to admitting an elf had made a

good suggestion.

"Alrightie then!" Serena crowed, snapping her fingers in triumph. "The Companionship it is!" She beamed

at the elf lord. "Thanks!" He nodded, bowing his head slightly, his lips quirked in amusement. Were one to

watch him closely, one might fall under the impression that they had imagined him looking up and winking

at Legolas as if to congratulate him.

"Shall we, then?" Boromir spoke up. "As Aragorn said, the day grows old."

"And no one likes a spinster!" Serena grinned. "Okieday, onward we go to- uh, Ami-chan? What was the

name of the place again?" Laughter was heard, but Serena ignored it. 

"Mirkwood, Serena," Ami laughed. Serena grinned. 

"Rightie, then. Onward to Mirkwood!" She said, urging her horse forward with her knees, surprised she

remembered that was how you did it. "Hey," She commented to herself, heading for the path Ami had

pointed to earlier. "'Onward' and 'Mirkwood…' was it just me or did that sorta rhyme?"

Her question was met by laughter as the Companionship, riding forward after her, formed a ring around

Serena on the wide path.

Through the trees, the sun cleared the mountain range and shone it's glory down on all of Middle Earth.

Another day had dawned, and as they watched the Companionship leave the elven city of Lothlorien, many

thought for the first time in a long while that maybe it wouldn't be one of the last they ever saw.

**Thus Concludes _Part One_ of  _The Will of the Ring..._** **** **To Be Continued in Part Two, beginning with Chapter Thirteen** Ta-da! So, how did I do? I hope that blooper I mentioned at top wasn't too bad. Easily fixed, thankfully. ^^ Anyhoo, keep an eye out for my Halloween fic I'll be posting later this evening. Since it's seasonal, I'll probably take it down in a week or two after the halloween spirit dies down, unless it does really well. Anyhoo, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the end of Part One of Will of the Ring. Part Two will consist of their journey to Mirkwood, their stay there, the destroying of the Ring, and...*laughs evilly* and when I address the frequent question of whether or not Serenity's being Sauron's daughter will affect whether or not she will turn evil. *grins sinisterly* heheheheheheh..... *ahem* 'Newayz, once again I want people to remember that this is ***AU!!!*** **Meaning ALTERNATE** **UNIVERSE!!!!** Meaning somethings will be **DIFFERENT**! With that final reminder, ja until next time! **Hope Makes the Universe Shine,** _Makura Koneko_ **P.S.** Had to repost this chappie; big thanks to CelestialDreamBlaze for catching that blooper!!! **_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS*_**


	14. Chapter Thirteen: A Promise ::Begin Part...

**The Will of the Ring**

Part Two

**Chapter Thirteen**

_by Makura Koneko_

Ami was always a light sleeper, and this was proven by the fact that no matter how hard she tried, Ami

could not sleep for the soreness throughout her entire body and the annoyingly soft sounds of the woods

around her. She was lucky she had the ability to doze and ride at the same time, else she would surely fall

from her saddle tomorrow...

As it was, it turned out that, this time, it was a good thing that she was awake on this starlit night, for else no

one would have noticed a silver-gold haired figure slip away, nor the raven-haired one follow. Ami sat up,

watching Raye follow Serena into the woods. Curiosity piqued, Ami moved to get up to follow to ask what

was wrong...

She gasped, biting her tongue to keep herself from calling out, when a hand on her elbow stopped her. Ami

whirled and came face to face with Frodo beside her.

"O-oh...oh my goodness," Ami stuttered as she tried to slow her heartbeat.

"Sorry," The hobbit apologized. "But you shouldn't go out there." He glanced to where Raye and Serena had

vanished into the surrounding woods. "I'll wake Boromir and Legolas. They'll find them and bring them

back." True to his word, in few moments Frodo had awakened the aforementioned elf and human, and

Legolas and Boromir were slipping silently off after the girls. Ami, convinced her friends would be alright,

moved to slip back into her 'sleeping bag' when she caught sight of Frodo, sitting up, leaning against a tree,

simply staring up at the stars a little ways away. Something glittered in his hands, and it took only a moment

for Ami to realize it was the One Ring.

A sudden sense of...kinship towards the hobbit washed over the Ice Senshi. He, like herself and her fellow

Senshi, had been forced to bear so much, so suddenly, thrust into an ongoing, dangerous adventure that he'd

never asked for... True, he was old enough to be Ami's grandfather, but from what she'd heard, that didn't

really count for much among hobbits, since they were so long lived and lived like children; happy, simple,

innocent of the evils in the world around them. Yet Frodo Baggins had been denied that simply happy life

the rest of his kind enjoyed, simply because a loop of evil infested Moongold happened to be in just the

right spot for his uncle's hand to land on it...

"Destiny is a cruel thing." Ami said as she silently crawled closer to the short man, sitting down beside him.

Frodo blinked in surprise, starting as he looked at her.

"You startled me," he said. Ami flushed.

"Sorry," she said. "I just s-saw you sitting here, and I...I thought..." she looked away."You remind me a lot

of myself, Mr. Baggins."

"How so?" Frodo's curiosity was slight, but her comment raised it. Curiosity about the blue haired warrior of

a mouse beside him, not just her question.

"You...you never asked for all of this, did you?" She whispered. Frodo looked down at the Ring in his hand.

It was so heavy, now...yet in some ways it was lighter...

"No, I didn't," he said. "But at the same time, if presented with all the facts at the beginning, I probably

would have gone anyway, simply because I would have known the alternative."

"Yes...it was often the same with me, when I first found out I was this reincarnated alien princess..." Ami

said the words with just a touch of irony. "I would often get mad...'why me?' You know, I got offered a

position in one of the most prestigious medical schools in the world, and I turned it down at the last minute

because of my duty to my role as Sailor Mercury...but then, when I saved my friends that one time, I

realized that...that I was where I was supposed to be, where I belonged -at least then- with my friends,

fighting evil.

"My mother and I always agreed that as wonderful as it was, being able to help people, being a doctor, it

would be even more marvelous if we could keep those same people from getting hurt in the first place... I

realized that, by protecting the Earth, I was doing just that. Making sure people didn't get hurt in the first

place. After that, I began to look upon my role as Mercury with more...'zest,' I suppose. Both an honor and a

burden." She smiled gently. "And then there's Serena. I would have stayed being Sailor Mercury just for her

if nothing else. She...she was my first real friend..."

She trailed off, part of her appalled at how much she had revealed, but an even larger part not surprised at

all. Silence reigned for a moment...

"I wish I could look at my duty the same way you have come to be able to look upon yours." Frodo said

after a moment, fingering the Ring again. Ami reached over and put her hand over his, over the Ring. He

looked up at her, and she met his gaze. She smiled.

"You can." She said. "Think, Frodo, think of what would have happened if that Ring had stayed with

Gollum. The Ringwraiths would have found him, or one of the goblins. If it had stayed with that creature,

we _know_ the Ring would be in the hands of Sauron by now. Or what if your Uncle had kept it? As

wonderful as I'm sure he is, even he was showing signs of falling under the power of the Ring, according to

Gandalf."

"Who says I wouldn't have done the same?"

"You probably would have, in time," Ami said, softly. She glanced down at their hands, then up to him

again. Blue eyes met blue eyes, and she smiled again. "But we won't let you." She leaned over and shyly

kissed him on the cheek. 

"I promise."

Raye looked up at the tree, where, high in the top most branches, Serena sat, basking in the moonlight. The

Moon Princess didn't know that one of her guardians was watching her, just as the Senshi of Mars wished it.

As she watched her princess, Raye's eyes spoke volumes of sadness and regret.

Over the years, they had all matured greatly, and it was only lately that Raye had begun to wish she'd gone

easier on the girl when they'd been younger. Five years ago they had begun to fight evil, and for the first

three of those years she had been all but heartless towards her princess, thinking she was helping her by

making her tougher...when really she was almost killing the very thing that made her princess so bright and

pure. Things had gotten better between them once Raye had forced herself to realize that fact and had made

steps to correct her own wrongs, but regret was still present... Raye had vowed to never hurt her best friend

ever again...

It seemed she was going to be forced to break that promise...

She was not blind to the love she saw brewing between her Lunarian leader and the elven prince. Nor was

she blind to the blossoming affection between the bright mercurian and the Ringbearer.

Raye had always been the tough one. Even though Lita was the brawns, she was too sweet and caring to

really be as rough as she acted in battle. Raye was the true hard-hearted one. In battle and out of battle. She

was the one whom had had self-titled herself the iron that reinforced them all, and no one had ever argued.

But then why did she feel like the group was falling apart, separated by indecision? If she was the 'iron' then

was that separation her fault? Was she failing in her duty to snap everyone awake and remind them of their

ultimate duty?

"You put too much on your own shoulders," A voice said softly. Raye whirled, furious at both herself for

letting someone sneak up on her and whoever dared sneak up one her for not making enough noise.

"Whose there?" She hissed.

"Calm yourself, dragonfly, 'tis only me," Boromir stepped out of the shadows, hands raised, a small smile on

his face. Raye ignored the odd twinge at the nickname.

"What are you doing here?" Raye asked stiffly. She didn't like being caught alone...

"Legolas and I came out to look for you and the butterfly." Boromir nodded to where Legolas, in the

shadows of the night, was heading for the tree Serena was perched in. "He will look out for her. Come,

return to the camp with me. You'll need your sleep for the hard ride ahead of us tomorrow." He urged his

point with a gentle touch on her upper arm. Raye stiffened, and he retreated his hand. "I mean you no harm,"

he said, backing away, respecting her personal boundaries.

"I know," Raye said softly. "I just..." She shrugged. "Guys aren't my forte." Why the hell had she said

that??? She gave him a charming half-smile over her shoulder as she turned, walked past him, heading for

the camp sight. "Bad experiences," she said with a shrug. Boromir followed.

"What sort, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Oh, the usual," Raye shrugged nonchalantly...why was her heart twisting so? "Betrayal, false promises,

abandonment..." Why was she telling him these things so easily?

"Do the men in your time truly discard treasure so casually?" He stopped her with a gentle grip on her

elbow. Raye laughed.

"Treasure?" She echoed, bitter amusement in her eyes. "Tell that to my father, Alex, Peter, Kanutai...they

certainly found other 'treasures' easily enough."

"Some men are blind, bumbling fools and I should know because I am one," he said bluntly. Upon the

surprised, wry look Raye gave him, he told her of his falter with the Ring.

"That's excusable." She said. "The Ring was designed to do that. You were under its influence. None of the

men I've dealt with were under the spell of the people they left me for. Funny how all the worthless men I

attract aren't worth the air they breathe."

"Do you consider me not worth the air I breathe?" Boromir asked after a moment of silence. Raye looked at

him in surprise, but her answer, a solid 'no' radiated out of her eyes before she even said the word. Boromir

grinned. "Then not all men you attract are completely worthless, now are they?"

Leaving her with those words that wouldn't have been so cryptic if Raye hadn't been so afraid of letting

herself understand them, Boromir turned with a final suggestion of bed and sleep, and left.

Serena sat, basking in the moonlight, for once just listening and appreciating the beauty around her. Darien

had taught her that, to just sit and listen. She had never really appreciated why…she had always thought it

was just him trying to change her, not satisfied with who she was, wanting to make her more like him, more

sophisticated. Now she understood what he had really been trying to do; she'd always shared everything she

liked with him so freely, and he had only been trying to do the same for her, share something he liked.

Serena regretted that she had figured this out too late.

She also regretted that it had taken her this long, as she sat in the moonlight, on a branch high up in a tall

tree Serena had no idea about the name of, to understand something Darien had once told her over a year

ago. Something he had told her when trying to explain to her why he liked to just sit and listen to the world

around him...

"_I am the Prince of Earth,"_ he'd told her. _"Just as you are the Princess of the Moon. You are tied to your_

_Moon, just as I am tied to Earth."_

_"What does that have to do with something as boring as just sitting here?"_ Serena had sighed impatiently.

Darien had caught a cherry blossom that fell from the tree and placed it in her hair.

_"Serena, when we die, there is always something left behind that will remind those that once loved us who_

_and what we were. For me, when I die, whenever that is, every little thing about the earth, the way the water_

_bubbles, the shape of every flower, part of me will be in it, and through the Earth, I will always be with_

_you."_

_"Darien…?"_ Serena had breathed softly, frightfully. _"Darien, what are you saying?"_

_"I'm saying, love, that someday I will be gone. I am not immortal like you, and you know I would give my_

_life in a heartbeat to save yours."_

_"But I can always bring you back!"_ Serena had protested. Darien had smiled softly, touching her cheek.

_"Not forever, you can't,"_ He told her. _"There will be a time when destiny will require you make a choice,_

_Serena. I'm telling you all this because when you look at the world around you and see me in it, I don't want_

_you to be sad. When I am gone and you think of me, I don't want to think of what you have lost, but of the_

_promise I'm going to ask you to make."_

_"P-promise? When you're gone?"_ Serena was near tears with panic. _"What are you saying?"_

_"I'm saying, that I'm asking you to promise me that you will be happy, even if it isn't with me." _He brushed

away a tear from under her eye. _"Will you promise me this?  Will you promise me that when fate brings you_

_the decision, you will make the one that will make you happiest?  Even that decision doesn't include me?"_

_"It will always include you!"_ Serena pledged._ "Always! Forever"_

_"Don't, Serena!"_ Darien took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. _"Destiny is only for as_

_long as 'forever' means something. It is only as long as we are willing to sacrifice other things for that_

_forever. You say you don't believe in extra sacrifices. Then don't make any! Not if you can help it. Serena, if_

_someone else chooses to make a sacrifice, that is their choice. If you make it so that they cannot make the_

_sacrifices they wish to make to save what they love, you are taking away who they are and what they hold_

_dear, and depriving yourself of who you are, by not being true to your heart. So if you truly love me, Serena,_

_and I know that some small part of you always will, then promise me that when the time comes, you will_

_forget me and follow your heart, regardless of the sacrifices that others are willing and wanting to make._

_Promise me!"_

Sobbing, Serena had promised, and they'd shared three more precious hours together in that park before,

when walking home hand in hand, a monster had come out of nowhere and had destroyed everything…

everything…

That had been the last time Serena had ever actually talked to Darien.

For the thousandth time since leaving Lothlorien, Serena remembered Galadriel's words…

_"You will do," The Lady of the Wood had said softly. "You fulfill your promises. You will do just fine. Do not_

_let us down, Lady of the Moon, for the fate of all rests on your keeping your promises. All of them."_

Had she meant Serena's keeping her promise to Darien? How had she known about it? Had she also been

referring to the promise Serena had made to her father, Sauron? And how did the 'fate of all' rest on

Serena's being happy, since that was essentially what she had promised her first love she would strive to be?

Serena was once again glad she had let the essence of what made herself so bubbly and carefree go to rest

during the more perilous parts of this quest; child-Serena would have been reduced to tears by the mere

thought of her first beloved.

Celenithil, though, the warrior Silver Moon, _her_ heart could handle it, though pain was still present…

A slender, pale hand reached up to clasp the silver-gold of the Moongold locket at her throat...she never

took it off... Suddenly a thought came to Serena... If she was born to Sauron and Selenity around the same

time as the War of the Rings, and she was ten thousand years old when the Moon Kingdom fell, and if the

War of the Rings took place three thousand years ago, then... It only took Serena a moment to figure out

that....

A bittersweet ache wrapped around her heart as she realized that from the moment Serena was in, at that

very moment, with the camp below and behind her, and the moon shining above her, in about seven

thousand years -akin to a mere seven years, for an immortal Lunarian Royal- she would get fed up with her

mother's secrets, sneak down to earth and meet Endymion...the descendant of a brother of Isildur, the

brother that, while Isildur had passed up an opportunity to destroy the ring, had discovered a locket of

unnaturally pure gold among the charred remains of Sauron's armor.

Serena frowned...

How did she know all this? All Endymion had ever told her was that an ancestor of his, an ancestor that had

been present at the War of the Rings, and found the locket among the ruins...he'd never said anything about

that ancestor being the brother of Isildur... And what of Aragorn being Isildur's heir? Did this mean that

somehow, Aragorn's line would end and the line of his ancestor's brother would take over?

Serena shook her head.

It was all too much...

"Your thoughts are troubled, this evening," A soft voice made Serena simultaneously forget her previous

thoughts as she squeaked, jumped with startlement, and nearly fall off the branch she was sitting on. She

twisted her face upwards, her face fixed into a scowling pout.

"Legolas!" She whined. "Don't _do _ that!"

"Sorry," Legolas dropped down from the branch above her to crouch just before her. Her eyes widened.

"How do you _do_ that?" She breathed.

"Do what?" Legolas stood on the branch that was barely wider than his feet, where he was, and walked like

a cat to where it was wider. He sat before her, one leg bent with the foot planted firmly on the wooden

surface he was sitting on, his other leg dangling freely below him.

"Well…just…_that_!" Serena said in exasperation. "Just jump down like _that_ and just _sit_ like that,

and…and…geez, do you have _any_ idea what I would give to be that coordinated and balanced and

freakin' _graceful_?"

"To start, you'd need approximately one hundred years of practice," he teased. Serena pouted, and Legolas

laughed softly. "You just need practice and the right sort of teaching," he told her.

"And I suppose you'd be willing to teach me that, too?" Serena asked impishly. "Along with Elvish and

sword lessons and horseback riding?"

"Yes, I will teach you all that," Legolas was grinning as he stood up. "As well as how to use this, though I

believe your Warrior of Mars will wish to have some say in the tutoring of your usage of this." And he

pulled out of the branches and greenery above him something slender and white and something round and

long.

"A…a bow and arrows?" Serena blinked rapidly.

"I had it made for you while we were in Lothlorien." Legolas's voice as soft as she looked, wide eyed, at the

three-foot long, slender, silver bow and white quiver full of silver-feather fletched arrows that he handed

her. "By the time we reach Mirkwood -and I am not alone in this- I will that you shall be well versed in

many manners of weaponry." Legolas told her, sitting back down in the same position as before. "I am to

teach you Elvish, Mars and I together will teach you the use of your bow. Boromir will teach you the

discreet art of dagger-play, and Aragorn and he will both verse you in manners of the sword, most likely

with input from Haruka. Ami has requested I ask you if you will tutor her in learning to use her throwing

rings."

"_Me_?" Serena blanched. "Tutor _Ami-chan_ in something?" She gave a low laugh. "That's new! Geez, you

might as well stop here and build a school house, with all these lessons I'll be learning." Serena grumbled.

Then she brightened. "But hey, Elvish is ten times better than English, and I'd take you over Miss Haruna

any day!" A quick explanation over 'Miss Haruna' and the horrors of her English class, and Legolas was

laughing softly right along with Serena.

"We've been traveling for two days now, and we still have about four days ahead of us," Legolas said. "And

with all your lessons along the way, you are going to want to get all the sleep you can get. Come back to

camp?"

"Okies," Serena said cheerfully before yawning. "I guess I lost track of time." She looked at him and

grinned impishly. "Hey, Legolas?" She asked. He turned his head and looked at her. 

"Yes?" He answered. Serena giggled slightly.

"Think they've...forgotten?" She asked, twiddling her fingers in the hem of one of her pant legs. Legolas

suppressed a groan.

"I very much doubt it," He said, knowing she was referring to their escapade in the river. "I cannot even

look at you without your sandy-haired guardian glaring at me as if I were an Orc that planned on eating you.

''Tis the same with Boromir and Gimlet. Your fire-friend, she at least understands in part. She only looks...

smug, I suppose is the word." 

Serena laughed. "Raye's looking forward to when she can chew us both out," she said with a grin. "Or at

least watch Haruka go Uranus and try to shish kabob you. Not before she gets her chance at seeing how

you'd look toasted, though, of course." Her manner was most impishly innocent as Legolas muttered

something under his breath that Serena couldn't hear, but sent he giggling anyway.

"As lovely as your laughter is, my lady Serenity, I must remind you of our previous goal; to get back to the

camp so you can get some sleep and not fall asleep over your steed again." Legolas raised an eyebrow at

her. Serena groaned, sighed, nodded, then looked down and winced. "Great…I get all scraped coming up

here, then I forgot about how to get down."

"Just jump, and I will catch you," Legolas promised. Before Serena could reply, he swung himself down of

the branch, landing smoothly and flawlessly on the ground, fifteen feet below. Serena swallowed.

_C'mon, girl, you've jumped down from skyscrapers!_ Part of her chided herself. 

_Yeah, but you were transformed into a superhero, those times!_ Another part snapped back.

_But this time you have Legolas's word that he'll catch you_, yet another part whispered softly, yet even

though it was only a whisper, Serena heard it above the other two. _Isn't that far more trustworthy than_

_any superhero power boost?_

Taking a deep breath, Serena swung her legs over the branch so that she was sitting with both legs on one

side. She braced her hands against the branch, closed her eyes, leaned forward, raising her arms, and let

herself fall…

Serena fell, and as she did so she twisted her body, her eyes shut tight against any distractions as she felt the

ground nearing. With a final tuck and twist, she got her feet under her, and she landed smoothly, bending

her knees to absorb the impact just as Legolas and Boromir had showed her countless times all morning

long. But this was the first time, however, that they hadn't been there to catch her…this was the first time

she'd done it on her own…

Serena froze, holding her breath…she peeked open one eye at the sound of clapping and cheering, and

found the Companionship all around her, cheering for her success. She looked up at the twenty foot high

branch she'd jumped down off of in awe. She'd done it! She'd actually done it! Gimli came forward and

grabbed her around the middle and heaved her up, twirling her around with a boisterous joy that only a

dwarf could display.

"Do it three more times just like that, then we'll be making progress." Boromir told her with a wolfish grin.

Serena groaned, but both of them were grinning nonetheless. She spotted Legolas standing a bit aside, his

eyes shining with pride. She winked to him and ran for the tree again.

Three flawless back flipping leaps later, a fourth round of applause and hugs were given, followed promptly

by Legolas and Raye stepping forward, bows and arrows in hand. Serena suppressed a groan as her aching

muscles complained loudly.

"Come on," Aragorn summoned to everyone but the pupil and two teachers. "We've been here all morning

and have yet deconstruct our camp and hide our trail." He looked to Serena. "Listen and learn well," He told

her. "We have no way of knowing what trials we may face yet on this trip-" He didn't notice the light that

entered Raye's eyes. "-and we still have two days till we reach Mirkwood, and not even a day before we get

to the Fields." He named the huge expanse of flat land that lay between Lorien and Mirkwood, interrupted

only by a small town that they planned to avoid.

Grumbling from the Senshi, sighs from the Fellowship, they dispersed to do the Ranger's bidding to begin

to erase all evidence that they had been there.

"We've spent the past two days drilling you in keeping this thing in tip top shape," Raye said, handing

Serena her bow and quiver. Serena slipped the quiver strap over her shoulders, and settled the quiver

diagonally across her back, comfortably between her shoulder blades.

"Goodness knows it took you long enough to just remember how to coil the string so it wouldn't tangle,"

Raye added under her breath as she looked down and pried a piece of dried dirt from her blouse. Serena

glared at her, sticking out her tongue and then pulling the appendage back into her mouth and fixing her face

in an innocent expression the moment Raye looked back up.

"Now that you know the care of your weapon," Legolas said, stepping forward and hiding his mirth from an

oblivious Raye. "You will learn to use it." Serena's beaming grin was infectious, and all three of them wore

smiles throughout the rest of the lesson, which consisted mostly of proper hand placement and aim.

Hand placement was the more difficult of the two, for Serena had a forgetful nature and often forgot which

hand was supposed to hold the bow and which to draw the string and arrow -though at the moment she only

drew the string; arrows were later. But once she got it down at all, she got it down pat, and once she had

committed the placements and movements to memory, they stayed in her memory. Still, Legolas and Raye

drilled her endlessly until she was sure she could do the movements flawlessly in her sleep. By then,

everyone was ready to leave, yet no one made a move to suggest the action.

Aiming was something Serena had almost absolutely no problem with; her Tiara had required perfect aim.

And although the bow required a bit more 'finger' coordination, not just her arms and wrists and eyes, it

was still the same general idea, and thus she mastered it much more quickly than hand placements.

"Now do I get to actually use an arrow?" Serena pleaded.

"Tomorrow," Legolas promised, and he nodded pointedly to something behind Serena. Serena turned to see

Boromir walking towards her, a grin on his face. Serena sighed; bow lessons were over. She slipped off her

quiver -Legolas claimed she was to wear it during practice, even if she wasn't using the arrows, to get used

to its presence- and handed it to Raye along with her bow.

"Behave, meatball brains!" Raye laughed, walking off.

"I'll see you later," Legolas said, touching her on the shoulder. Serena took the initiative and wrapped her

arms around him in a long, full fledged Serena-Hug. Laughter was heard from behind her, and a voice

saying, "You'd best let him go, butterfly, else our elf friend become permanently blue!"

Looking sheepish, Serena jumped back, apologizing. Legolas only laughed and said he was fine. With a

final farewell and a glance to Boromir and Gimli, he headed back towards the campsite.

"I am here only to watch," Gimli told her when she turned to face her 'teachers.' "And to see that our dear

man doesn't get overzealous in his teachings." With that, he settled himself on rock that protruded from the

ground in the middle of the small meadow they were in.

"Catch," Boromir told her, and whipped a dagger out from within his tunic and sent it flipping towards her.

Serena hesitated for only a moment, then caught it deftly by the hilt.

"That bit of hesitation could have gotten you killed," Boromir told her. "And a cut hand by way of grabbing

the blade the wrong way is better than dead." He walked forward to inspect how she had caught the knife,

and nodded.

"You remembered the catch grip from yesterday, though, good," He ruffled her hair and stepped back.

"Now let's see if you remember the throw I taught you the day before." He made a beckoning motion with

his hand, and obeying the silent command, Serena launched the dagger at him. Boromir's eyes widened and

he jerked his body to the side just in time to let the dagger flash past him and imbed it self in a tree near

Gimli. The dwarf got up and went over to it, and gave a low whistle.

"'Tis in clear up to the hilt!" The dwarf lord exclaimed, and tugged it with a grunt from the trunk.

"Must have been soft wood," Serena mumbled, taking the dagger.

"Nevertheless, it was a good throw." Boromir grinned.

"It's not all that different from my Tiara discuss," Serena said sheepishly, but her eyes were bright

nonetheless.

"'Tis different enough," Boromir told her. He pointed to a tree to her right. "Aim for that tree. Let's see if

you can do it from here." Serena turned to face the tree- "No, no, stay where you are." Boromir came to her

and turned her so that her body was facing the first tree she had pierced. "Let's see how good your aim is

from the side. Keep your body facing the first tree."

Screwing up her face in a look of concentration, and doing her best to obey Boromir's words, she flung her

arm out to the side and when she believed the moment to be right, released the dagger.

The dagger went flying…

And completely missed it's mark. A shriek was heard, then a cry of utter outrage…

"**Meatball Head!**" Raye came charging out of the treeline, Serena's dagger in hand, eyes flashing. Serena

yelped and ducked behind Boromir.

While Gimli was roaring with mirthful laughter, Boromir sighed; it was going to be a long morning.

"Um...um...ok, ok, I know this one, I know it!" Serena insisted, her eyes shut tight as she tapped her temple.

Legolas opened his mouth-

"Don't tell me!" Serena's eyes snapped open and she waved a hand in his face. "Don't tell me, don't tell me,

you're supposed to be _teaching_ me Elvish not handing me the answers on a silver platter! I _know_ it, I

know it!" Eyes shut tight again as she wiggled in her saddle, one hand gripping the reins the other pinching

the bridge of her nose, the tip of her tongue peeking out between the corner of her lips ever so slightly.

"Um...um..." she wiggled. "Er...ok, ok... 'I' is '_amin_,' I know that... 'like' is...is...er...'_velei_...' Now _what_ would

'cake' be?'"

Again, Legolas opened his mouth-

And again, Serena screeched, "Don't tell me! I'll figure it out on my own! 'Cake' is one of my favorite

words...you...you think it'd be....be-be...*instinct* or something to know your own favorite word in another

language, but _nooooooooo_!!!"

Again, she haunched over in her saddle, eyes shut tight as she tapped her temple and wriggled with

frustration.

Up ahead, subdued giggles and muted laughter was heard at the forlorn expression on the elven prince's

face.

_And we thought this morning was going to be long... _He muttered mentally. _We jinxed it...this afternoon –or_

_at least _my_ afternoon- is going to be a whole lot longer..._

He glanced at Serena, and sighed again

Later that same day, when twilight was upon them all, Aragorn called for a halt when it was seen that the

Moon Princess was having trouble keeping from nodding off. Everyone else hid their extensive relief as

they dismounted and began to set up camp in a small turnout a good ways away from the road.

"Owie…" Serena rubbed her behind as she dismounted off of Ithilendel -her horse. Ithilendel gave her

mistress an imploring look, as if inquiring if her gait was not to her mistress's liking. Serena patted the mare

on the neck. "Oh, it's not you girl," She told the horse. "I'm just not used to riding." Ithilendel nuzzled

Serena, and was rewarded with part of an apple Serena had saved for her from that morning's breakfast.

"You spoil her," Gandalf said, smiling as he came up and patted Ithilendel. Serena grinned and hugged the

horse around the neck.

"She's a sweet horse." She said. Ithilendel gave a murmur of puffed breath and nipped Serena's sleeve in an

affectionate way.

"Have you decided on a name for her?" Legolas asked. Serena could see, past him, that everyone else was

setting up camp for the night -it was already nearing midnight.

"Yup!" Serena said proudly. "It's Ithilendel."

"Moon melody," Gandalf said, translating the elven words. "An appropriate choice." He looked to Legolas.

"It seems you make an excellent teacher, Legolas."

"Nay, 'tis simply that my pupil is a quick learner." Legolas protested. Despite that afternoon's dilemma with

the name of a certain pastry (it turned out the word 'cake' didn't exist in the Elvish language, much to

Serena's horror.) Serena blushed, patted her horse, and muttered something about going to help the others,

face still flushed rosy red, and left.

"Poor, poor girl…" Gandalf murmured. Legolas looked at him in curious surprise at the comment. Gandalf

sighed and shook his head, absently stroking Ithilendel's neck. "She loves so much and so easily," The

wizard said. "She loves her world, as much as she is coming to love this one. She loves her guardians as

much as she has come to love you and the others. Part of her wishes for nothing more than to stay here, and

yet another will always follow where they go, to protect them, for she loves them so." Gandalf nodded to

where the Senshi -even Haruka- were laughing at something Gimli had said.

"I wonder if they know the troubles they have brought to their princess's heart…" Legolas said

thoughtfully, looking at the group of five as well.

"I think they knew that they had no choice." Gandalf said with a sigh. "For all they knew, she could have

landed in the middle of Mount Doom. They had to come and see if she was all right; it is their duty and their

life, to protect and love her. Yet I think some part of them all was afraid of exactly what has already

happened, that part of Serenity's heart would become attached to this place. Whether for the selfish reason

of wanting to keep Serenity to themselves, or if because they wished to spare her the heartache that taking

her away from this place would cause by finding and taking her back as soon as possible, I do not know. But

even if it is for the selfish reason, can we fault them? She is a prize above all others, and she knows it not."

All the while, Serena's laughter rang out in the forest.

"Block, thrust, duck! Duck, I said, Serena, not bend over!" Aragorn frowned. Serena pouted as she stood up

right.

"Same thing!" She argued. "It got me out of the way of your sword, didn't it?" She huffed as she brought

the point of her own sword down to rest in the soft earth; the ground was still moist from the morning dew

that was still everywhere. It was the morning after Legolas and Gandalf had exchanged words that she was

still oblivious too, and for the former Fellowship, morning meant barely after sunrise; Serena was getting

used to early rising.

"It got you out of the way of my sword, all right, and left you wide open for me to slice off your head!" He

told her sternly. Serena blinked, then flushed and scowled when she realized that by 'bowing' to avoid his

swing, he could have easily brought his sword back around and down to slice through her neatly displayed

neck.

"If you duck, that gives the advantage of still seeing your opponent's movements, and being able to block

should they strike at you," Boromir pointed out, sheathing his own sword as he neared; lessons with the

Hobbits had ended. He and Aragorn exchanged looks, and after ruffling Serena's hair affectionately,

Boromir turned and walked away to gather up the rest of the camp.

"That's enough for today," Aragorn told her, sheathing his sword as Serena blew a stand of her hair out of

her eyes with an annoyed puff. Grumbling, she sheathed her own sword and stalked away. Briefly Aragorn

wondered why the normally sweet and sunny girl was in such a foul mood.

"What's with the puzzled scrabble look?" Haruka asked, coming up to him from the side. Aragorn gave his

fellow swordsplayer a glance before looking back to Serena's stomping-away form.

"I was simply contemplating what could have the princess in such a foul mood this morn," he said,

sheathing his sword. Haruka grinned wolfishly.

"You may be a king and a warrior and a savior of the planet, but you're still a guy," she laughed. At

Aragorn's befuddled expression, she added, "Ever hear of a woman's monthly curse?"

Laughter, at the human king's blanching expression, rose up from the throats of the Senshi, all of whom had

been watching. Haruka shrugged as she walked past him to follow Serena, he eyes dancing with mischief.

"Of course, it could be that she's just not a morning person."

This time, even the rest of the former Fellowship had to laugh at the tortured look on Aragorn's face.

It was that night that they encountered the first signs of someone, or something, following them.

They had stopped for a bit before sundown to cook a few hares that had been caught earlier that day. They

stayed no longer than it took to cook, eat, and erase traces of their being there by burying their cookpit and

using brush branches to wipe away their tracks. They'd been on the road an hour when Hotaru had

exclaimed that she'd left something behind.

"I'm ever so sorry, everyone, but I've gotta get it back!" Hotaru pleaded.

"What did you forget that is so important?" Gimli asked gruffly. Hotaru flushed with great embarrassment,

as she answered.

"I-It's just..." her blush deepened, a sadness in her eyes. "It's just a hair ribbon," she said.

"A hair ribbon?" Gimli growled, face flushed. "What in the name of-"

"It was Rini's." Hotaru cut in, her voice oddly level for belong to someone whose face was a torrent poorly

concealed painful emotions. She said this while looking at Serena. Serena swallowed and looked away.

"I'm sorry," Serena said. "But will someone please go with Hotaru?" The relief on Hotaru's face was

heartbreaking.

"I will return to the campsite with you to find whatever it was you lost," Aragorn told her, turning his horse

around. He looked back at the others. "You continue ahead. Don't stop till you reach the edge of the Fields.

We'll meet you there." He kneed his horse forward, back down the same path he had just come, a still

embarrassed Hotaru behind him.

Shaking his head in amusement, Gandalf lead the others onward. Serena threw one last 'be careful!' over her

shoulder to the duo, to which Hotaru replied with a wave, before turning on her own horse to catch up with

Legolas.

"Hurry and find what you misplaced, firefly," Aragorn was telling Hotaru an hour later, upon their arrival at

what had been their camp sight.

"I'll only be a-" Hotaru came up short, eyes wide. Aragorn frowned and followed the young teen's gaze, and

when he saw what she'd seen, he cursed.

Unearthed and strewn around was their cookfire and the remains of the meal, and footprints and paw prints

alike were everywhere; someone knew they had been here, and recently.

"Get back on your horse, Hotaru," Aragorn told Hotaru softly. Her apologetic, child-like demeanor

vanished. She spotted a shred of pink, a few feet away. Nimbly, she danced forward, snatched it, stuffed it

into in a pocket on the inside of her shirt. She made not a sound as she backed up towards her horse, her

eyes watching everything at once...

But she wasn't wary enough. Hotaru gave a cry of pain and stumbled forward as something slashed past her

left upper-arm from behind. She grasped at the wound, bleeding freely. She spied an arrow imbedded in the

ground before her. She whirled and leaped atop her horse, hissing with the pain her wound caused her as

Aragorn gave a cry and unsheathed his sword. Hotaru gripped the reins of her mount, Makura, in her teeth

as she reached with her good arm over her shoulder to where her glaive was strapped beside the staff-blade.

At the last moment she went for the staff-blade, instead of her glaive; if for some reason she needed to

transfer her weapon to her injured arm, she wouldn't be able to use the glaive. It was light, as glaive's went,

but not light enough should she need to carry it with he injured left arm. The staff-blade, however, _was_ light

enough.

"I would suggest getting out of here," Hotaru said lowly, watching the now silent trees.

"I concur," came the answer.

"I wouldn't advise trying it, human." A snarling voice seemed to be the cue, and suddenly, from out of the

trees came a ring of some sort of humanoid creature and wolves that definitely weren't normal wolves.

"We've been waiting for a chance to get at the Dark Princess for some time, and we're not about to loose our

chance now."

"Not good," Hotaru muttered as she maneuvered Makura so that she was alongside Aragorn's horse,

although facing the opposite direction, making Hotaru and Aragorn a bit behind each other with their backs

to one another.

"First opening you see, run and tell the others we are being followed," Aragorn told Hotaru softly. She gave

no acknowledgement that she had heard.

When the attack came, after what seemed like an eternity of frozen silence, it was without warning, and

executed with calculation that betrayed the fact that some sort of unseen signal had been given.

Too late Hotaru remembered that transforming would have healed her wound and multiplied her strength

and stamina ten-fold. Even though, technically, since her insignia was still on her forehead, she _was_

transformed, just powered down; she had gotten so used to being like this, having gone so long without

transforming into her old Senshi form, that it had been easy to forget to transform when a fight neared,

having gotten used to defending herself in (semi) mortal form. Now that she had remembered, though, it

was too late; she couldn't grasp a spare moment to even think the transformation phrase to the clarity needed

for it to work, let alone say it. 

A wolf, larger than a normal wolf, but resembling a wolf enough to be called a wolf  nonetheless, leaped for

Hotaru's throat; she slashed it's own with a downward swipe with the bladed end of her staff. Likewise, she

jabbed the butt of her staff into the stomach of one of the humanoid creatures charging at her. She followed

the motion with yet another swipe, slicing its head off.

She screamed as a wolf latched onto her shoulder with its jaws, nearly severing her arm completely from her

body. She tried to maneuver her blade-staff to slice at it, but it was too close and the staff too long. Without

warning, the wolf released her with a howl and fell away; she, on a reflex movement, slashed downwards

and sliced it in half, a gruesome display that made Hotaru retch, before it even reached the ground. She

glanced over her shoulder as she flung her arm out and caught another wolf in the side to see that Aragorn

had been the one to make the wolf release her by way of stabbing it in the side; his retreating arm, a sword

that was in hand and stained with wolf blood betrayed that fact as he lashed out again. After flashing him a

grim grin of thanks, Hotaru returned to defending herself.

While she had no intention of leaving Aragorn to his own demise, she still kept a lookout, per his

instructions, for an opening. She continued to find none, as she fought on, she and Aragorn all the while

trying to maneuver their way towards the road.

Hotaru didn't dare let herself think of what a price this battle was demanding from her already physically

intolerant body. She shut off the flow of pain signals from her brain, hoping that she would be alive to feel

them later...she had never pushed herself so far before in her life, at least not without being fully

transformed, and already she could feel it begin to take its toll...

The battle raged on, two against what seemed to be an endless army of wolves and monsters. If the monsters

had fought with powers and energy, perhaps Hotaru would have done better. As it was, the Senshi of

Silence was unused to battles consisting of only physical threats. Only the crash-course training and her own

experience -how little it was, considering her physical stamina was not all that much- had kept her alive.

Suddenly, and completely without warning...

The ambush...ceased.

Wolfs and creatures alike suddenly halted their assaults, the ones closest to Hotaru and Aragorn paying for it

with their lives. The rest however, seemed to slowly back up...their forms radiated nervousness and fear, but

the smirks the humanoid monsters were throwing at their prey did not bode well for either human's instincts.

Wolfs and humanoids backed up and disappeared into the dark trees, the moonlight casting deep shadows.

Silence reigned for a brief moment while the duo caught their breath, forcing themselves to stay alert against

weariness and pain, adjusting their grips on their weapons. Hotaru switched her sword-staff to her injured

arm, biting her bottom lip against a scream of pain that lashed up from her mangled shoulder. She then

pulled out her glaive with her free arm. Pain or no, she needed every weapon she had.

Briefly, she wondered what she would have been doing at that moment if she wasn't a Senshi, wasn't a

reincarnated planetary princess, if she was a normal girl...

The thought dissipated as suddenly as it had come, shattered by the movement of shadows within shadows

all around them...slowly, with menace in every movement, the nine Nazgul became visible, mounted on

steeds of pure black, clad in robes made of shadow and evil, holding before them swords of poisonous

blackness.

In a flash of insight, Hotaru both knew and remembered that they had been human, once...humans, with

some good in them, somewhere. Hotaru knew this, and she wondered why that particular fact was nagging

at her...

An idea overcame Hotaru so suddenly she wondered where it had come from. It had nothing to do with her

previous thoughts about how the Nazgul were human once. No, it was something else entirely.

And it just might work...

For the first time, fourteen year old Hotaru was grateful for her algebra lessons. Somewhat.

ithout warning, before the Nazgul were even half way to them, not realizing that Aragorn had been

talking to her the whole while, Hotaru dropped her staff-sword, thrust her injured arm to the sky, and

shouted with all her might something that made even Sauron, far away in his castle of blackness, cringe.

Her voice and the words she spoke were so thick with an ancient, shadow-filled power that the words were

indistinguishable. But the result was instantaneous, as Hotaru was engulfed in a midnight-violet light. Magic

danced on the air, making the wind sing a haunting melody as, just for a moment, a black star flickered on

Hotaru's forehead...

Black lightning lanced down from the thundering sky, touched the barest tip of Hotaru's fingertips. Hotaru

flared with black and purple light. Abruptly, she brought her fist down to her chest, and, with a flash, the

light burst out around her in a horizontally spiraling wave of black energy that swept up all nine Nazgul in

its wake and slammed them against the trees...

Aragorn had ducked over his steed to avoid the outward-sweeping blast, the poor horse screaming in terror,

but staying at his master's command nonetheless.

The Ringwraiths glowed pale violet for a moment...

And then Aragorn, Strider, heir of Isildur, saw something no man had ever even imagined would ever take

place even in a dream...

One of them, the one closest to Hotaru, lifted its head weakly...for just a moment, its hood slipped, and

Hotaru, her eyes black and vacant, void of all life, glimpsed an old, old man, his eyes weary and sorrowful.

"Run," He whispered hoarsely. "Take your princess and flee. She is our last hope. I am old, young one, and I

have seen much. Your princess is the first glimpse of light I have ever seen in these dark times. Protect that

hope, that light, please... I...we were weak...please...don't be weak...don't let the light be weak...please..."

Hotaru nodded, giving her promise. His plea delivered and her word given, his head slumped back onto his

chest.

Abruptly, the spectacle was over; the thundering sky ceased its roar and cleared, the black and purple light

vanished, Hotaru's eyes returned to normal, the black star on her brow flickered and disappeared, to be

replaced with her proper insignia of Saturn. Hotaru gasped, groaned, and slumped down over Makura's

neck. Aragorn gripped the reigns to the horse, whirled both steeds around, leaned down from his saddle and

scooped up Hotaru's staff-blade, all in one swift movement as the wolves and creatures began emerging

from the shadows once more.

Aragorn, an unconscious Hotaru on the horse whose reigns he held in his hand, fled into the night, leaving

the threat behind.

**To Be Continued...**

**ATTENTION:**

Before I go any further, I want to take this opportunity to let you guys know of

**(A)** my new website, almost fully up. It's the Realm of Makura at: http://www.geocities.com/realm_of_makura/

It was made with the help of my friend, Alexia Goddess. 

**(B)** Alexia Goddess and I are now both co-writing a fic based on the works of Tamora Pierce. And…

**(C)** I now (finally) have a joint account with my sister and we have posted the first chapter of a fic we've

been working on -plot-wise- for about a year now. Go check it out, pleeeeeeeeeeeease??? Our names are

Cat and Kate Soeurs. There's a link on my fav author's page.

Now, on to other matters...

So, whadya all think?

I think this was the hardest chapter to write to date. The middle part of a story, the transaction between the first part of a

story and the second half is always the hardest. This story ends the first part of the journey of the Companionship, and the

next chapter will introduce the second phase.

I'd love to write a longer, more entertaining author's note, but it's after midnight, I'm exhausted, and extremely thankful that

tomorrow -for me, as I write this- is a Saturday.

G'night all, and ja ne!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Ami's Paradise

The Will of the Ring  
  
Chapter Fourteen by Makura Koneko  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ATTENTION: Just to remind you all, again this is an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE fic!!!! Meaning I'm making the things the way *I* imagine them, k? Any flames will be used to roast my s'mores! (Thanks to Tsuki no Tenshi for the suggestion. ^^)  
  
Ray of Hope (*laugh* Here's your chapter, three pages longer than usual! ^^ Sorry for the wait!) Divine Sorceress (Glad you decided to review! Thanks! Oh, and I LOVE your username!!!!) mooniecrazed (Fav author? *blush* *is flattered* I'm sorry to say that Shattered Tapestry is kinda on hiatus until my muse decides to come back for that story. -.-') My fair kitty SerenityLNguyen (*hands smelling salts* Don't faint on me!!! It's not good for your health! *wink* Thanks!) Larissa Lilaclight star0704 (hmm.good question. I'll have to address that. ^^) Callisto Star (Ah! You figured it out before I've even explained it! Bravo! *claps*) Lady Light (SM/Tamora Pierce crossover? ^^ You read my mind. I've actually already started one. Now that I know someone's interested, I'll be more likely to post it eventually.) Adyen (Black star? Explain it? She's not. ^^ I sideskipped that complication by that 'bright, blinding light.' No one saw it. *slaps on halo* Ain't I a snake?) Kage-Shadow-of-Darkness sailorbardock1980 AngelQueen (Again, someone else figured it out! Way to go!) Linauri (Man, I didn't think so many people would like that bringing-back- the-spark-of-humanity-in-the-Nazgul bit. In fact, I was worried about people flaming me for the inaccuracy of it.Well, thanks! ^^) Lady Silence niner Tsuki no Tenshi  
  
  
  
Last Time....  
  
  
  
"Run," he whispered hoarsely. "Take your princess and flee. She is our last hope. I am old, young one, and I have seen much. Your princess is the first glimpse of light I have ever seen in these dark times. Protect that hope, that light, please... I...we were weak...please...don't be weak...don't let the light be weak...please..."  
  
Hotaru nodded, giving her promise. His plea delivered and her word given, his head slumped back onto his chest.  
  
Abruptly, the spectacle was over; the thundering sky ceased its roar and cleared, the black and purple light vanished, Hotaru's eyes returned to normal, the black star on her brow flickered and disappeared, to be replaced with her proper ensignia of Saturn. Hotaru gasped, groaned, and slumped down over Makura's neck. Aragorn grasped the reigns to the horse, whirled both steeds around, leaned down from his saddle and scooped up Hotaru's staff-blade, all in one swift movement as the wolves and creatures began emerging from the shadows once more.  
  
Aragorn, an unconscious Hotaru on the horse whose reigns he held in his hand, fled into the night, leaving the threat behind...  
  
  
  
And now the Conclusion....  
  
  
  
"You left it behind for now, anyways," Boromir said in response to the end of Aragorn's retelling of the adventure he and the firefly princess had undergone earlier that night. It was well after midnight, nearing morning, they having ridden long and hard once the duo had caught up with them at the edge of the Fields.  
  
Aragorn had commanded they pack up the camp and ride long and hard for the other edge of the Fields.  
  
They had saved stories for until they could ride no more and had been forced to stop less than four hours from the other side of the Fields. Now, all but Legolas, Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, Gandalf, and Ami were asleep.  
  
Hotaru had remained unconscious the entire time, coming around for only a moment when Ami had insisted in a most un-Ami-like fashion they stop long enough for her and Raye to tend to Hotaru and Aragorn's wounds. It was a good thing they had; any longer, Ami had said, and Hotaru would have lost her arm. As it was, until she was strong enough to fully transform in order to erase the rest of the damage, the arm was useless.  
  
"One of the Nazgul told Hotaru to protect Serena?" Legolas questioned, the underlying tone of bewilderment barely hidden. Aragorn nodded.  
  
"Strange, is it not?" The human king tossed a twig into the fire. "For that short moment, his hood had fallen down. His face...he was human. Inhumanly old and pale, but still somehow human. And his voice was... desperate. Pleading. Hopeful. It was as thought he had a soul again."  
  
"For those few moments after Hotaru zapped them all with so much negative energy, they probably did."  
  
Ami said softly from across the fire. All eyes turned to her. She grinned. "I believe this is a perfect example of the simple algebra law of 'a negative plus a negative will always equal a positive.'"  
  
"Excuse me?" Gimli gruffed. "Not all of us are scholars from one million or whatever years into the future, missy."  
  
Ami laughed, and apologized. "Basically," she said. "The evil energy that already filled the Nazgul and the evil energy Hotaru 'zapped' them with cancelled each other out. So for a few brief moments, they were who they were before the Rings of Power had begun to consume them. Neither evil nor good. Just simply human."  
  
"Amazing..." Gandalf said thoughtfully. Ami thought a change of subject appropriate.  
  
"How far till we reach Mirkwood, do you estimate?" Ami asked Legolas. "My calculations say at least another day, but you have actually made the journey, whereas I have not."  
  
"About a day is correct, with the progress we made today," Legolas confirmed. "How...how long does Serena have?"  
  
"A week and a half," Ami said softly. She sighed and drew her knees up to her chest, her eyes full of sadness.  
  
"Why does your heart carry sorrow?" Boromir asked. "You will not be loosing her. She will be coming home with you."  
  
"That's just it, though..." Ami said, glancing at the sleeping Serenity. "Where we come from..." She glanced to a ways to her right, where Frodo was sleeping, and she blushed slightly, though under the warm light of the fire, no one saw. She saw how Haruka lay so protectively beside Serena...how her very position betrayed how she would follow her princess anywhere... She saw how Gandalf absently stroked Hotaru's hair from where he was beside her in so fatherly a way, how Hotaru sighed in her sleep... She remembered how she had seen Raye looking at Boromir...  
  
Ami blinked back tears.  
  
"I'm not sure if the future is home for any of us anymore..." she whispered.  
  
  
  
  
  
The last four hours of riding across the Fields was made in haste, despite the weariness that surrounded them all. The fear of the Nazgul not far behind them was the only thing that kept them going. But at last they crossed the border of the Fields and Mirkwood, and Legolas told them they should be safe. The magic of the woods that now surrounded them was not nearly as potent as that of Lorien, but it should be enough to keep the evil ones at bay.  
  
"Still, we should ride until we are at least a few hours away from the border," Aragorn said firmly. "Then we will make camp and rest. With luck we will reach the capitol city of Mirkwood by nightfall." Groans were quickly stifled by the look the human king threw the groaners, and, per Aragorn's instructions, they rode on.  
  
"You feeling any better, Hotaru-chan?" Serena asked, pulling up beside Hotaru on her right. The younger Senshi looked worn and exhausted, her useless arm bandaged and in a sling, but her eyes shone with the beauty of the woods around her.  
  
"Much better," Hotaru said. "I like the woods better then those Fields. I felt so...exposed out there."  
  
"Same here," Serena shivered. "I felt like we were being watched, especially last night..."  
  
"You, too?" Raye asked, letting her horse's -Madya's- gait slow so that she was at the same pace as her friends and riding on Hotaru's left.  
  
"Frea-ky!" Serena made a face.  
  
"It was probably just night animals," Ami said over her shoulder. "That's what I dismissed it as."  
  
"Ami-chan, you're probably right," Haruka said from behind them all. "But if there's one thing I've learned in this land, it's to never dismiss anything as something harmless."  
  
No one argued, and all were simply thankful that whatever had been out in with them in the wilderness last night had apparently not wished them any ill.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow..." Was the only word that slipped from out of Serena's mouth as the Companionship rounded a bend in the path and came face to face with a most magnificent sight. Legolas, beside her, grinned at her exclamation.  
  
"Welcome to my home," he told her, resisting the urge to laugh outright at her dumbfounded expression. The Senshi and the rest of the Companionship, behind them, were all -except for Aragorn, whom had seen the capitol of Mirkwood before- in similar predicaments, expression wise.  
  
Before them, in the center of a huge field, sprawled a massive structure that looked to be made entire of trees and bushes and vines, the branches of the trees interwoven to form walls, braided and arched to form archways. Interlaced all over them were vines of all sorts that gave the entire place a green glow from the sunlight that poured in from overhead.  
  
The packed dirt road, lined with stones and wildflowers and followed by a gurgling stream that ran along side it, snaked off into the distance to meet with a huge, grand archway of braided, twining, twisting, curling branches and vines. There were no gates that they could see, and out of the many windows of the 'palace' within the walls that the archway served as a door in, tiny figures could be spied, many of them appearing to be waving. Just to be safe, in case there really were people waving, Serena raised her arm and waved back enthusiastically. Laughing, the Senshi followed her example, but they stopped as soon as the sounding of trumpets in the distance caused their curiosity to make them forget.  
  
"Why are they trumpeting so soon?" Serena asked. "We've still got another half an hour of riding before we get there."  
  
Legolas grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Watch," he said. He held up his hand, and the group stopped. He leaned down from his saddle and lightly touched one of the stones lining the path. He sat back up and winked ever so briefly to Serena so that she barely caught it. He rode on forward, and looked over his shoulder, waving for her to follow- He drew his hand back so abruptly Serena had to blink. It had been so quick...almost as though his arm had been waving one moment, and the next...she shook her head; she needed to eat something...  
  
She nudged Ilithindel forward....the horse snorted with unease as a rushing tingle filled Serena's veins and made her gasp. The world swam before her eyes, then with a silent 'whoosh' everything snapped back into place...except for her, since she, as she realized when glancing around, was now in a completely different place than she had been five seconds previous.  
  
She looked around frantically, seeing herself just inside the branch- archway in the wall surrounding the 'palace.' Elvish folk were all around, all fair haired and blue eyed like Legolas, and all looking at her with mild curiosity. Serena was about to let loose a full-blown screech of panic when a hand, lithe and strong, clapped itself over her mouth. Serena turned her head, eyes wide, to see Legolas still on his mount beside her, his hand over his mouth as he gave her a pointed look She flushed, and jumped in surprise as she heard a shriek behind her. She turned in her saddle to see Hotaru, much shaken, clinging to her horse's reigns as she looked around frantically before forcing her expression into that of a composed, albeit shaken, damsel. She spotted Serena and Legolas, and relief washed over her as she trotted forward.  
  
"That," she said, looking at Legolas. "Was freaky." Serena giggled, and Hotaru stuck her tongue out at her.  
  
"Brilliant, though," said Ami as she popped into view seemingly out of nowhere, just under the archway. She rode up to them, grinning. "Brilliantly amazing!" She added. "How clever...I suppose that little trick is a bit of something left over from when these woods were under Sauron's rule, ne? Enemies march up, thinking they've got another hour's march ahead of them, then suddenly they all find themselves right at your gates with you all ready with your archers and boiling oil, ne? Meanwhile, those that haven't reached the transportation barrier where you touched that rock, Legolas, see the illusion of those ahead of them still walking."  
  
"You mean, you couldn't tell I'd disappeared?" Serena asked incredulously.  
  
"That's right, meatball head," Raye was the one that answered as she passed through the barrier and stepped up, after overcoming her brief initial surprise. "We saw you stiffen, then you were fine, and kept riding forward. We followed, and once we were at the same place where you had stiffened, we were suddenly here."  
  
"A brilliant work of magery," Ami grinned. "I would love to examine the matrix supports of the energy structure," she said thoughtfully, looking to Legolas. "I don't suppose you would know of anyone who could help me?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, here comes the one that can," the elven prince told her, nodding to something behind her. In quick succession, Gandalf, Gimli, Aragorn, and Boromir flashed into existence. It was obvious Legolas had been referring to Gandalf.  
  
None of them looked surprised. Those that hadn't been here before must have been expecting it, somehow. The hobbits that followed, however, were far from calm. Sam was just short of collapsing, and Merry and Pippin were roaring with laughter. 'Again, again, again!' seemed to be the only word on their minds at that moment, as if the experience had been no more than a rollercoaster.  
  
"Heh, remind me, Ami-chan, if we ever have them visit us in the future, to take those two to an amusement park," Serena laughed. Everyone who knew what an 'amusement park' was joined in with the laughter, mental images of the looks on the hobbit's faces should they ever present them to a roller coaster aiding in their mirth. The former Fellowship members, however, simply shook their heads.  
  
When at last everyone was present, they dismounted, and gave instructions to an elven boy nearly as tall as he to have the steeds to returned to Lothlorien. Serena patted Ilithindel, sorrow gripping her heart at the thought of parting with her trusted mount.  
  
"Be just as good to all your other riders as you were to me, okay?" Serena whispered to her. Ilithindel whimphered and pranced his head as if to say 'you doubt I would do any less?' Serena grinned, and with a last hug around the horse's neck, she passed to reigns to the boy Legolas had been talking to. Legolas saw this exchange, and in his mind an idea began to form...  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, that went well," Haruka was, surprisingly, the most optimistic about what had just taken place in the main hall of the Mirkwood...palace...place...dwelling... whatever you would call it. They had just left the presence of Thranduil, Legolas's father and lord of Mirkwood, asking for official permission to do what they needed to do -whatever that may be, exactly- to destroy the Ring. Just short of suspicious, he had barely agreed, and only after seeing the Ring for itself and a small demonstration of Serena's control over it- making it glow and hum sweetly. The power she had portrayed he gave grudging respect. Her Lunarian heritage he'd scoffed at completely.  
  
All this while maintaining a perfectly composed elvish demeanor.  
  
"'Well?'" Raye spat. "What the hell does that Thranduil guy have against us? He practically told those guards to lock us up if we so much as sneezed impolitely!"  
  
"Guess he doesn't care much for humans, by and large," Ami said. "It's not surprising. From what I've heard from Gandalf, the elves we've talked to and associated with so far have been uncommonly polite and courteous. Apparently humans are looked down upon by the elves."  
  
"He has no reason to like us," Serena pointed out after a moment. "We have given him no reason to trust us, but at the same time, we haven't given him any reason to trust us. I suspect he is like this with everyone, minna- chans. We probably just got the brunt of it because we're new, human, and we have power. Humans with power scare people, now days, what with how the Nazgul came along."  
  
Everyone stopped.  
  
And stared.  
  
"What?" Serena blinked, inwardly grinning mischievously. "You didn't think all those times when Legolas and I snuck off that we were just going for a make-out session did you?"  
  
Four sets of blushes graced four pairs of cheeks...  
  
"He's been teaching me to talk like the princess I am," she said. "As well as elvish, dwarvish, and a few other ancient dialects that they tend to use the way we use Latin."  
  
"Well I'll be..." Haruka grinned. "C'mere!" She grabbed Serena in a bear hug. "Koneko, my opinion of your boyfriend just went up a notch. Or two." She glowered down at the smaller blonde. "But don't you dare tell him that!"  
  
"Don't worry, she won't need to." A voice said, with only the barest hint of mischief. The girls dissolved into laughter, at Haruka's expense, as Legolas stepped into view from around the corner. He grinned at Serena, a twinkle in his eyes as she collapsed into giggles. Haruka only glowered. More laughter, and this time Haruka only shook her head. As the group moved onward, Legolas announcing that he had gotten his father to agree to anything they should require, and that he was to show them all to the corridor assigned to them.  
  
"An entire corridor?" Hotaru blinked; her arm was still in a sling, and she was leaning on Ami slightly. Legolas grinned at her over his shoulder.  
  
"'Tis the guest wing. You and the rest of the Companionship are the only guests at the moment."  
  
"Speaking of the rest of us, where are the guys?" Raye asked.  
  
"Aragorn is looking for himself over the ranks of extra guards my father has placed all around when we told him of the Nazgul being within a day's ride away, at least." Legolas told them. "I suspect Gandalf is inspecting that illusion-transporter. It has been a while since he fine tuned it." Ami opened her mouth to ask. "And yes, he promised to show you how it works. He's by the main gate right now, if you wish to go find him. I'm sure you memorized the path on your way in?"  
  
Ami, grinning sheepishly, nodded, and when she had Legolas's promise that he would send someone for her later to show her to her room, she left to go find Gandalf.  
  
"The Hobbits I suspect are being treated like Kings down in the kitchens, and Boromir I believe has required to join the hunting party this afternoon." Legolas continued relaying the answers to Raye's earlier question.  
  
"Hunting party?" Raye echoed. Again, Legolas grinned slightly.  
  
"My father may not trust humans, but he, like all my people, still never turn down an opportunity to have a party. A feast has been arranged this evening in our honor. Thus the hunting party."  
  
The screech that emanated from Serena's throat to echo up and down the corridor was near deafening as she grabbed Legolas in a hug, kissed him on the cheek, and then went prancing down the hallway like a child that had been told Christmas was tomorrow. She came up short, however, whirled, and raced back to cry the universal question that all females have fallen prey to at one time or another...  
  
"Ohmigod, what am I gonna wear?????"  
  
She was answered with laughter.  
  
  
  
  
  
As it turned out, Serena didn't have much of a choice for partywear; nothing the elves provided fit her, for she was far too short. Her travel clothes were completely out of the question. The elven maiden assigned to look after Serena had offered to try and take in the only gown that came even close to fitting Serena, but a glance at the garment told the Lunarian Princess that it would take all day, and then some. So Serena declined, saying she refused to subject a potential friend to an entire day of boring sewing just so she could have a pretty dress.  
  
"Besides," she said with a wink as an idea donned on her. "I've got it all figured out!" She giggled. The elven maiden, Tilythia, raised an eyebrow. Serena beamed. "Do you have a pen- er, quill and pap- er, parchment?" She asked. Tilythia nodded, and showed Serena where everything was on the desk against the wall that was to the right of the door. Directly across from the door, a set of double doors lead out into a balcony, letting in plenty of light. Serena sat down, pulled a piece of parchment to her, dipped the quill into the ink, and began writing. She wrote basically the same message 'meet me in my rooms tonight one hour before the banquet' on four different pieces of paper, each one addressed to each of her Senshi. Done, she blew on them to make the ink dry, then folded them, put the names on the outside of folded paper, and handed them to Tilythia.  
  
"Could you take these to my friends?" She asked. The elven maiden nodded, hiding an amused smile as she left, thinking, No wonder the prince fell for her...  
  
  
  
Ami was still mulling over the amazing things Gandalf had shown her with the illusion-transporter. Amazing...it was all absolutely amazing!  
  
She walked, still deep in thought, committing every word he'd said to memory. What an advantage they would have if Ami could remember how the thing worked and reconstruct one for themselves back home...  
  
Home...  
  
That word was a bit confusing, now. It used to refer to Earth, not Middle- Earth, to the luxury apartment flat in Tokyo, not with a group of mismatched heroes. Ami wondered what had changed...had she simply gotten used to life on the run, so to speak, on horseback, sleeping under the stars....?  
  
"Ami?"  
  
A voice startled Ami out of her reverie. She whirled, startled, and breathed a sigh of relief when she found it was only Frodo.  
  
"Frodo-san, you startled me," the blue haired girl said with hand on her breast as if the act would help slow her still racing heart. Inwardly, she frowned. He hadn't startled her that bad. Why was her heart still racing?  
  
"A maid found me and asked me to deliver this to you, as she had others to deliver and couldn't find you, and I told her I was looking for you anyway, so..." Frodo flushed slightly as he realized he was rambling. A bit. Ami suppressed giggles as she took the note from the hobbit's hand. She realized that, without her shoes -as she was barefoot- they were the same height.  
  
(AN: Lets pretend Frodo is a little taller than most hobbits...so that Ami isn't quite a midget....)  
  
She unfolded the note, and skimmed the brief message. Ami blinked as she realized that yes, the neat, elegant -albeit slightly shaky- script was indeed Serena's penmanship. She recognized the 'i's and the loopy 'e's...  
  
In referral to the actual message, Ami's face displayed curiosity. She wondered what the Princess had in mind...? Well, she supposed she'd find out that evening.  
  
Time was Ami would have done anything to avoid a social gathering...she smiled slightly, folding the letter and tucking it into the small pouch on her belt. She remembered with a blush that Frodo was still standing before her. She looked at him, and his expression portrayed that he, too, was curious.  
  
"Seems Serena has a bit of a surprise for us girls later tonight," The Senshi of Ice and Wisdom told the Ringbearer. Frodo nodded, seemed to hesitate slightly, then...  
  
"I hear from Legolas that the gardens the Mirkwood Keep are extraordinary," he said. "Would you care to.explore them...with me?"  
  
Ami blinked in slight surprise before her ears and cheeks flamed a most becoming pink. She nodded, and the two fell into step together.  
  
  
  
Boromir sighed, remembering his earlier wish that Raye had come along on the hunt. She would have enjoyed it, he was sure. But he'd felt it best for him to have some semi-alone time, to sort out the surfacing feelings for the girl. The notion of her waiting for him when he returned had been an amusing one, but he'd never expected it to come true. Never.  
  
So surprised was he, to see Raye leaning against a corner of the kennels hut, that he'd forgotten the brief, wistful desire to see her he'd had halfway through the hunt the moment he laid eyes on her. She stood there, leaning against the corner of the building, ankles and arms crossed in a casual manner, clad in a taken-in gown that was cream lined with fire red and blazing gold embroidery. Her hair was loose, a circlet reminiscent of Raye's Sailor Mars tiara, of the same bright gold studded with blood red rubies, adorned the ebony locks and dipped down in the center of her brow.  
  
"Lady Raye," he said, riding up to her. "What brings you out to the edge of the hunting woods?"  
  
"Wanted to know why you didn't take me with you," Raye said simply. He grinned.  
  
"Because I did not know you wished to join the hunt," he said.  
  
"Well, I did," she said. She reached around the corner of the building, the side hidden from him, and pulled to her a pack which she lifted and slung over her shoulder. "And to make up for your inconsideration, you get to take me to explore these woods." Her tone left no room for argument. The elves behind Boromir hid grins and chuckles, and one of them rode forward, dismounted, and handed the reins to Raye.  
  
"Since you seem so anxious to go," he said. "You may ride my steed. His name is Firefoot." There was a slight light in his eye; this woman was no true human, he could tell. It was the only reason he looked at her with no scorn as his companions did.  
  
Raye grinned her thanks at him, then turned to Firefoot. Eyeing the fidgeting stallion, her grin widened. "I think Firefoot and I will get along just fine," she said.  
  
"Indeed, I think you will," Boromir grinned wolfishly. "I've seen that horse in action and he's as skittish and quick to assumptions as you are."  
  
"How dare-?" Raye whirled on him. Boromir's eyes twinkled. She pursed her lips, and with a toss of her head she mounted swiftly, tying her pack to the back of the saddle after she untied the one that had already been there and handed it to the elf that had lent her the horse.  
  
"Let's go," she said tersely, and she turned the horse around and rode into the forest. Still grinning, Boromir followed suit.  
  
"As you wish, m'lady," he said in a teasing voice. Raye glared at him, and he only grinned wider.  
  
"Men," she muttered. Firefoot snorted as if in agreement. Behind her, Boromir's grin turned from delighted to mischievous.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me," Haruka snorted when she'd been watching the four elven guards spar for half an hour. The six tall beings paused long enough to look at her. They hid it, but Haruka spotted the slightly surprised gleam in their eyes; they hadn't known she was there. She hid a smirk. She wasn't the Senshi of Wind for nothing; wind can be loud and intimidating, or silent and deadly.  
  
"I beg your pardon, human?" One of them scoffed. His hair was longer than Legolas's. Haruka briefly wondered how he could 'scoff' and still look and sound...elegant.  
  
"I said, 'you've gotta be kididng me,'" She repeated. "And I was mostly talking to myself."  
  
"Talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, you know," another of the elves commented, his full lips quirking slightly. Haruka grinned ferally.  
  
"I know," she said wolfishly. Suddenly the elves before her were reminded of the common known fact that insane people often equaled dangerous people.  
  
"Pardon my companions," a third elf said, one with bright blue-green eyes, stepping forward. "They are unaware," he glared at them. "That you are an honored guest of Lord Thranduil." If the others were surprised, they didn't show it.  
  
"Care to explain why you thought someone was jesting with you?" A fourth spoke up. He was the tallest of them all.  
  
"Your swordskills," Haruka said simply, motioning to the swords still gripped in their hands. "It's pitiful."  
  
(AN: Remember, this is Haruka talking... Don't kill me, elf-lovers.u.u')  
  
"And you could do better?" Full-Lips said, again with that quirky, gardened grin. Haruka laughed.  
  
"Without a doubt," she said. "Do you have any idea how pitiful it is knowing my Princess is related to your species? An embarrassment. Venus and I both could hold a sword better than you two when we were half your size."  
  
"And that was how long ago?" Mr. Tall asked with a sly grin as he stood up to his full height. Haruka glowered; she barely came up to his chest.  
  
"Enough of this," Long-Hair said with a slight, low growl in his tone. "If you wish to insult us, maid, do so with the promise of backing up your claims."  
  
Haruka's grin was predatorial.  
  
"With pleasure," she said. She raised her hand...  
  
A pale yellow glow began to spiral into existence around her slenderly arched fingers...  
  
With a flash of power at her mental command, pale yellow and sky blue engulfed the Uranusian warrior. Wind that was colored the palest of yellows and blues whipped around her, bearing ribbons and lengths of silk. The wind plastered the materials to her body, and the fabrics seemed to melt into place. With a final flash, there stood the warrior of the Planet of Wind, Uranus. In her hand was her Space Saber Sword, glowing faintly. She ran her finger along its length, and as she did so it reformed itself into a longer, slender, perfectly straight sword, the same size as the ones still held by the elves. Uranus was pleased to see the ill-hidden surprise and startlement both in their eyes and their postures.  
  
"Shall we?" She asked. Her predatory grin was now something out of a child's nightmare. "Who's first?"  
  
Collecting himself, Long-Hair suddenly grinned with the same predatory hint that she was grinning with as he stepped forward. Uranus noted, with annoyance that he somehow managed to make that same grin more...elegant, she thought with annoyance. How did he do that? All elves did it, but he seemed to make an art of it.  
  
Shaking the thoughts away as she stepped forward, a slight breeze picked up, blowing the ribbons from her haltertop straps at the back of her neck out behind her. The symbol of Uranus, which had been visible since she first transformed at that battle in Mordor so long ago and had never completely faded, was now vivid and shining.  
  
"Bring it on," she said ferally. Long-Hair saluted with a quirk of his fingers, then lunged...  
  
  
  
Hotaru loved it at the Mirkwood palace. Absolutely loved it.  
  
She had, to her delight, managed to, even with her useless arm, climb a tree that was on the smaller side, but tall enough to let her get a good scope of the impressive gardens. She leaned back against the tree trunk, smiling serenely.  
  
They'd made it. They'd beaten the Nazgul to this safe haven, and still had a few days left before they had to make preparations to guide Serena's spirit back to the future.a few days before they all had to leave...  
  
Hotaru's face fell. At first...when they'd first arrived in Middle-Earth, Hotaru hadn't been able to wait to get home... Sure, Legolas and Boromir and Gandalf and Gimli and Aragorn and the Hobbits were wonderful people, but...she had wanted to go home...  
  
Hotaru sighed. Suddenly she wasn't so sure where home was anymore. She didn't know if any of them knew...  
  
Serena had found love again. Someone had expressed the desire to take the time to prove to Raye that not all men are pigheads, Haruka had found a world where she could exert her skills and natural personality as a fighter. Ami had found a place full of new things- she had been bored with their Earth, everyone had been able to see it. As fascinating as she found numbers and geography and the stars, she knew all there really was to know, all that time could provide. But here...Middle-Earth...things were different. The rules were different. Ami had a whole new world to explore and discover and try to explain. To put it quite simply, Middle-Earth was Ami's version of paradise.  
  
A rustling... Hotaru, shaken out of her reverie, looked below, and stifled a gasp...her eyes widened... and suddenly she was hard pressed to keep in a fit of giggles...  
  
Down below, locked in an affectionate embrace and leaning against the tree, was Ami and Frodo...  
  
A very affectionate embrace, indeed, Hotaru's eyes twinkled when she saw the couple timidly let their lips touch, and slowly fall into something deeper. Hotaru's earlier thoughts about 'Ami's paradise' came back to her, and she was unable to hold in the snort of a giggle that sprung out of nowhere. Below, Ami and Frodo broke away suddenly, and looked up sharply.  
  
"Uh-oh..." Hotaru whispered.  
  
Something snapped...  
  
"Double uh-oh," she whimpered under her breath, just before the branch she was sitting on gave way, and she tumbled down. She found out first hand what nice landing cushions hobbits and Mercurians make. She also found out that both those species could turn an impressive spectrum of the color red in an amazingly short period of time...  
  
"Heh, heh..." The Senshi of Silence said nervously as she scrambled off her friends. She looked sheepishly at a beet-red Ami and Frodo. "Er...um...sorry?"  
  
"Not...a word...to the girls..." Ami growled in a most un-Ami-like fashion. "Specifically not Serena, or, when we get back, Mina. Got it?"  
  
Hotaru nodded vigorously. But when she glanced to Frodo, whose face was simultaneously surprised, embarrassed, and mischievous, she couldn't help but burst into giggles again.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
OMG I'm sooooooo sorry for not posting in so long!!!! Guess the holidays kinda snuck up on me this year, and I was unprepared.  
  
I'm sorry to say that I'm not sure whether or not the Christmas installation of this story will be complete in time, and that -aside from the Christmas Special- there will also probably be no more updates until after New Years. .  
  
Plus I just recently sprained my wrist, and have been reduced to typing with one hand, as I am now. Not fun, and takes forever! So I will probably wait to finish chap fifteen till after I get my brace off. . Arg. Had to be my right wrist too, dernit. *is right handed* Dern cat.arg.. Grrr. Anyhoo, hope you all enjoyed! Ja!  
  
Hope Makes the Universe Shine, Makura Koneko  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	16. A Christmas Interlude: Alassa’Christilai

**The Will of the Ring:**

**A Christmas Interlude**

**Note:** This interlude goes parallel to the current happenings in Will of the Ring: Chapter Fourteen. It ignores the existence of the banquet ball Legolas told them they were going to attend. It also ignores the time limit on when they had to get Serena home. Enjoy! –Makura

**_P.S._** Did you guys really think I was going to leave you hanging with NOTHING till after Christmas???? HA! I'm not THAT mean!!! Now again I say, enjoy! **_–Makura_**

**Will of the Ring:**

A Christmas Interlude

**_Alassa'Christilai_**

Serena was awoken from her nap –one of the many she had indulged in since their arrival at Mirkwood Palace- to the sweetest sound she had heard in a while. Bells. She heard bells. Not the heavy gonging of church bells, but the sweet tinkling of many hundreds of Christmas bells, the kind she heard at the Christmas parade held every year in Juuban, the one where the bystanders received tiny bells handed out by people that preceded the parade. Serena always took two, one for each hand, and jingled and rang them out along with several thousand other bystanders.

It was one of Serena's most fond memories…

With a jolt as she sat up in bed, she, surprised at the notion, counted the approximate days since her arrival in Middle-Earth till that moment…

With a tearful sigh she realized that, were she still back on Earth, it would be near Christmas… The day before Christmas Eve, in fact… Serena lay back in bed, curling up, and sniffed, blinking back tears.

But curiosity soon won her over, and she slipped out of bed and padded softly to the window.  Sure enough, across the huge courtyard was a small procession following what could only be a bride and groom. They all carried small bells, which they rang in perfect harmony, creating gentle music. Serena sighed.

"A Christmas wedding…how romantic…"

"Weddings do tend to be romantic, yes, but I am curious as to how this 'Christmas' you refer to can make it more so."

Halfway through that statement, Serena jumped and whirled, tripped over her own feet in the process, and landed square in Legolas's arms. Blushing, but grinning nonetheless, she rightened herself and stood on her own two feet, but stayed in the circle of his arms.

Then his words registered as she looked up into his smiling face. Her jaw dropped.

"You don't know what _Christmas_ is???" She shrieked. Legolas's grin turned amused.

"I'm afraid not," he said. "Care to explain?" He teased. Serena frowned, purpose in her eyes.

"I'll do better than that," she said. She grabbed his hand and marched past him, pulling him along, to the door. She came up short as he stopped suddenly, forcing her to halt as well. She looked at him. "What?" She asked. Legolas laughed slightly, and raised an eyebrow at her attire. Serena looked down at her attire and blushed; she was clad only in a simple white nightgown.

"Oh, phooey," she grumbled, and shoved her 'boyfriend' into a corner. "Turn around and no peeking!" Serena didn't notice the slight edges of a pale pink color the elven prince's cheeks as he did so. She shimmied out of the nightgown, leaving it on the floor, and grabbed a milky white gold gown trimmed with rose pink embroidery that hung over a chair and slipped it on. She ran a brush through her hair that was unbound and hung completely free down her back to her ankles. She frowned at the ends; she needed a trim. Oh well, take care of that later.

She shoved her feet into a pair of dark red satin slippers and then dashed to the corner to grab Legolas's hand and then to the door, yank it open, and run out, heading to the door across from hers and down the hall a little. She knocked on it loudly.

Raye opened it sharply, clearly annoyed.

"What do you want, meatball head?" She asked, but not without some affection in her voice.

"We have a mission," Serena said seriously. Raye blinked.

"Huh?" Was all she was able to say after a moment of silence. Sighing, Serena just reached into the room, grabbed Raye's wrist, and yanked her out after her. Raye recovered enough of her wits to kick the door shut behind her.

It was the same scene with all the other Senshi, until they all finally ended up in Ami's room.

"He," Serena said when they were all standing around, pointing at Legolas. "Doesn't know what Christmas is!!!!"

"I would if someone would explain it," Legolas pointed out.

"Christmas is –supposedly- the celebration of the birth of what some consider to be the Savior of humanity, Jesus Christ," Ami said. "He was born to a virgin by divine power, and then in atonement for the blackness of our human nature, died the most painful death known to man in the era of his life. A trade, you could say. His life for ours. Except, because He was literally the Son of God, He defeated death and Satan and came back to life. Rather cliché and story-esq, but when you study the religion deeper, it has an eerie ring of truth to it all. I say 'supposed'  because it is speculated that His birth probably took place in the summer, not in December. But it is the thought that counts, I suppose."

"And what does one normally do on this occasion?" Legolas asked.

"You give presents to the ones you love, family and friends," Serena explained this one with a grin. "And you have parties and decorate a big tree and have a special dinner or feast, and sing Christmas Carols…"

"That is the traditional Christmas," Rei said. "There are other versions, such as Hanukah, the Jewish equivalent of Christmas. That's not to say the two holidays are the same, mind you, just that they happen take place around the same time. Another winter celebration is Kwanza."

"This time of year sounds like quite an important time to humans in your time," Legolas commented with mild amusement. Serena's grin widened. 

"It is!" She said enthusiastically. "It is a big deal! Then she frowned. "Which is why I can't  belief you didn't know about it!"

"That's not that much of a surprise, Serena," Ami said with a small, amused smile. "This is a completely different time. And the Birth of Christ won't happen for another several hundred thousand years, probably, if my calculations are correct."

"Oh, I know," Serena said, waving her hands. "But…come on… It's _Christmas_!!! It's, like, a national crime to not even know what Christmas is!!! We should, like, organize a Christmas party or something!!!"

"That actually sounds fun," Haruka admitted. Hotaru grinned.

"It does!" The younger teen said happily. "We certainly have plenty of trees, and I'm sure it would be easy enough to make ornaments…"

"And I saw a plant that resembles mistletoe on our way here!" Ami said, snapping her fingers with the memory. Serena beamed. Legolas looked caught between amusement and bewilderment.

"Can we use one of your ballrooms or something?" Raye asked the prince.

"Yeah, can we?" Haruka added, the glare in her eyes daring him to say no. Legolas's lips quirked.

"Of course," he said, still slightly puzzled. But the look on Serena's face was worth it.

Immediately she began handing out joyful orders.

"Ami, you see about getting ahold of some paper and colored ink and stuff for banners and paper and games and writing out invites and such. Legolas, would you go with her, and you two go talk to Mr. Tharanduil about using a ballroom?" Legolas's lips quirked, and both he and the blue haired girl nodded and set off.

"Haruka, would you and Raye got find a tree?" Serena turned to the aforementioned twosome. They exchanged amused glances, then pushed away from the wall they'd both been leaning against.

"Will do, 'neko," Haruka ruffled her charge's hair affectionately before she and Raye headed for the door.

"Oh! Try getting Aragorn to go with you!" Serena called after them. "Or maybe Boromir, he could-"

"We'll ask Aragorn," Raye said sharply, then shoved Haruka out the door before anyone could see her pink-flushed cheeks. Hotaru and Serena, the only ones left in the room, exchanged looks and collapsed into giggles.

"Guess that leaves us to go find the holly and berries and pinecones and stuff for the Christmas tree decorations!" Serena said when they had recovered. Hotaru, still laughing to the point where she was unable to speak, only nodded and stumbled out the door to her room to change into warmer clothing. Serena followed suit, and a few moments later they me out in the hall, all wrapped up. On their way down to the courtyard, they stopped by the kitchen to collect two pairs of shears to use to cut what they needed, as well as two large baskets the cook lent them with a smile.

Hotaru and Serena bid a hasty, excited, giggling greeting, then an even gigglier farewell to the hobbits in the corner who were arguing about which was the best brand of mushrooms –at the same time they were eating their topic. Mouths full, they spared a moment from their heated conversation to wave to the girls. 

The girls laughed as they left, trudging through the icy mud towards the woods. Serena had a merry time, talking the entire time about how much fun it would be, what they could do with what they had –half-full baskets of holly berries and leaves and pine cones and nuts and some sort of christmasy-smelling herb- and how they could even organize a small skit of the Nativity! And maybe she could even talk Gimli into dressing up as Santa Clause, if they could find some red pants and shirt and tunic… Gimli had the big belt…

Hotaru didn't say much, content to listen to her friends' rambles. Besides, she doubted she could have said much even if she'd wanted to; Serena was talking so fast as that she wouldn't have been able to get a word in edgewise. That is, she wouldn't have been if she hadn't been laughing so hard as to try!

Serena was debating, mostly to herself –with some input from Hotaru- whether or not Ami would make a Santa's hat for Gimli if Serena asked her and could find the material-

Neither saw it until Serena let out an ear piercing shriek and the earth collapsed around the Lunarian Princess, engulfing her in dirt and mud and ice and forest-floor. 

"**_Serenity!_**" Was the cry that was torn from Hotaru's throat as the young woman leaped forward, swayed, skipped back from the growing circumference of collapsing ground. She dropped her basket, and it fell down into the hole along with bushes, trees, rocks…

At last the forest was silent. Hotaru succumbed to a coughing fit, sinking down against a tree as tears streamed down her cheeks, clearing paths through the dust that had settled on her face.

"S-Serena!" Hotaru choked out as loud as she could as soon as she was able. As the dust settled, Hotaru stumbled towards the edge. The gaping hole was huge, as big as a small house. And down in the very center, sprawled out, half covered with dirt and debris, was the form of a slender woman clad in what had formerly been pristine white furs and silks.

"**_Serena_**!" Hotaru called at the top of her lungs, panic in her voice, and ended up choking for it. "Princess!" Hotaru called desperately. "Serena, answer me, please!" She stared down at the prone form. The hole had to be at least twenty feet deep.

Serena's hand moved.

She was alive! Hotaru rejoiced.

"Serena! Serena, if you can hear me, move your hand to the right, then to the left, then to the right again!"

The hand followed the directed pattern, and Hotaru's heart soared.

"Princess, I'm going to go get help! I'm going to go get Legolas and the girls! Stay here!" 

_As if she could go anywhere,_ Hotaru thought to herself as she turned, threw one last glance over her shoulder to the silent figure down in the hole, then turned again and fled back towards the palace.

What had caused such a collapse? That was the thought foremost on her mind as she raced back towards where the others were. Hotaru's first instinct was sabotage -something she had gotten from Haruka, no doubt. But she had seen deliberate holes set up to get people to fall in –albiet never one as large as this- but still it was the same idea, and it didn't look like it had been deliberate. Plus, who could have dug such a big hole with none of the elves knowing?

Unless they did know…

Something was up, something Hotaru didn't want to think about till she got to the others.

And so she just kept running.

Serena was hardly even able to twitch when she felt the ground –or what was left of it- beneath her shift. She screamed again –funny how she had the energy to scream so loudly yet could barely move he hand- as the ground beneath her collapsed, and she once again she was falling…

But this time she didn't land on soft, upturned, soft and muddy earth. This time she landed on a stone slab, and it hurt. Oh, it hurt…harsh bruises on top of harsh bruises made Serena whimper in pain. She was positive her leg was broken…or at least severely sprained. Her shoulder and ribcage didn't feel to swell, either…neither did her head…or her feet… Or any part of her, for that matter!

Darkness nipped at the edges of Serena's mind, but she bit back, forcing the darkness to recede with a viciousness she didn't know she possessed. But she was fighting a loosing battle –darkness fed by evil she could fight. But how could she battle her own body? Apparently, the answer was that she couldn't, since she slowly, but steadily, was pulled further and further into the black arms of unwilling unconsciousness…

It seemed like forever, yet at the same time it seemed that she instantly found he way back to the palace, and as luck would have it, Haruka, Raye, Aragorn, and Boromir were in the courtyard, dragging a huge pine tree towards a set of large double doors thrown open. 

They saw her, and dropped the tree.

"S-Serena!" Hotaru gasped, not having realized how taxing that run through the woods had been, how out of breath she was until she slowed down. She collapsed. Aragorn caught her, and she gulped in precious air.

"What? What happened?" Boromir demanded. Haruka had been about to speak the same words herself.

"Pit…big…hole… Serena…fall…" Five words she spoke, between ragged gasps, but they understood. Almost instantly, it seemed, a small army had been gathered, armed with ropes, boards, ladders, shovels, ect., and as an army they moved out towards the place in the woods Hotaru had come from once she had given them general directions to where the hole, and Serena, resided.

With a promise to bring the princess back safely, Aragorn handed the Saturnite Princess to an elven maid who bore her away to the arm kitchens.

Legolas found out second hand what had happened, and once he had, no one dared deliberately cross paths with the Elven Prince. Sword at his side, rope slung over his shoulder, shovel in hand –just in case- he set off in the direction everyone else had gone. 

Not long after setting out, he veered to the north slightly- somehow it seemed more…_right_. How did he know? He just did, and hoped he _was_ right.

_It was odd, this dream. It was Christmastime, or at least, the __Moon__Kingdom__'s version of Christmas. They had no knowledge –and neither did earth- of the Christmas Serena knew- how could they? The entire reason for Christmas –the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ- wouldn't take place for another several thousand years._

_So, as a younger Serenity stood around a massive silver tree, similar to an fur pine, it was slightly odd knowing about what this holiday would become. Like one knew that the sky is blue and the grass is green. You know it, but you're not always actually thinking about it. This was how Serena was with her knowledge of Christian Christmas carols and the Holy Birth, and Santa Clause and Hanukah and Christmas lights and all those other 'modern' Christmastime things, include the title 'Christmas' itself._

_On the Moon, the equivalent of Christmas was the night of the annual Winter Star, the night, once a year, that a particularly bright star showed up only at winter, steadily growing brighter and brighter until, on Winter Star's Night, it was at its brightest. _

_The royal ballroom was crowded with royals and dignitaries and wealthy merchants. In the city outside, the entire kingdom rejoiced, feasting on food that had been brought out by the palace servants that morning in dishes that magically refilled themselves._

_Serenity examined with delight the huge silver tree in the center of the ball room. It was the Queen's joy; she'd been growing it all her life, until finally she deemed it big enough to be worthy to be the centerpiece for such an occasion. She had overseen and directed the placement of every single ornament, every single light, and had hand picked the hundreds of fairies out of the millions that had volunteered to light the Queen's Tree._

_She was so proud of its size, it's flawless shape, the magical aura…but most of all its color. Silver Furs were rare. Extremely rare, because you couldn't grow them. They happened randomly. And so pure a silver, too…_

_It was a night of magic, of starlight, of gift-giving and receiving, of friendships being renewed and forgiveness given._

_It was also the night that Princess Serenity and her Senshi would play the biggest prank the Moon would ever see…_

_Operation Illusion was ready to deploy, and the girls could barely stand still, so they accepted dance invitations, just so they could move and spend some of their nervous and excited energy. Ami was especially pleased with the illusion, which had been quite a feat, since it would be such a large one…_

_The art of sneaking the illusion-creator into place and installing it had been Minako's job, and she'd carried it out splendidly._

_Distracting her mother and the decorators, whom were being supervised by her mother, had been Serenity's job. It had been easy enough. She'd simply picked at a day old scab on her knee till it bled again, just enough to look convincing but not enough to really hurt all that much, then had burst into her most spectacular wail-fest to date. In this state, she had had burst into the ballroom, wailing. That 'despicably vile boy' had done it again, she had cried. While the servants and decorators and the Queen had tried to decipher what the visiting Calisto Moon prince had done to his ten-thousand year old (mentally and physically ten year old) cousin, the deed had been done, set in place by Minako, with Makoto and Raye watching her back._

_Now, the night of the Winter Star Ball, the five young girls waited, half nervous, half excited, and not all that sure yet if they would confess. To confess would be to earn the heroism stature from all children. To confess would also be to be sentenced to eternal grounding, or worse, double-time training workouts with Luna._

_Still they waited…_

_And danced while they waited._

_And waited…_

_And danced some more…exchanging bright-eyed glances from across the ballroom…_

_…and waited…_

_…and waited…_

_At last! The great bell rang out, and the city roared with applause and cries of delight, as did the girls and the entire ballroom. Eleven more bell-rings. Each ring was succeeded by roars of applause that died down barely in time to hear the next ring._

_The girls eyed the huge silver tree in the center of the room… The Queen's Tree._

_The eighth time, the bell tolled…_

_…ninth…_

_…ten…_

_…eleven…_

_…Twelve!_

_There was a spike of magic just before the illusion erupted, a spike that only the most magically acute people –the Queen, the Senshi, Serenity, and the Senshi-in-Training- could feel._

_Then the Queen's Tree began to sway…and rock…_

_Then, with ever increasing speed, it fell…_

_People screamed and scrambled to get out of the way, glasses were dropped, clothes torn in the rush, bruises acquired, but nothing serious._

_Then it was over. When the dust settled –metamorphically speaking- Serenity and her Senshi-in-Training stared in horror at the silver mess that lay in the center of the room. Shattered glass, spilt fairy dust, cracked crystal…_

_Serenity swallowed, and Ami paled._

_"There must have been some sort of spell holding the tree upright…" Ami realized with a tiny gasp. "The illusion spell and the holding-up-spell must have cancelled each other out…"_

_"You'll have to tell me about this illusion spell, Princess Ami of Mercury," a voice said from behind them. Slowly, pale as sheets and stiff as rods, the five young girls turned to face Queen Selenity, Luna and Artimus flanking her, all three wearing identical frowns._

_"Care to explain yourselves?" Luna hissed like the cat she sometimes transformed herself into._

_"W-we…" Minako stuttered._

_"Yes, Minako of Venus?" Artimus said placidly. Minako swallowed._

_"It was only supposed to turn the tree blue!" Serenity blurted. "And it wasn't even gonna be real! Just an illusion cuz mama kept going on and on about how pretty the color was and it got annoying and-" She cut herself off by snapping her jaw shut at the look on her mother's face._

_"Blue?" Artimus asked._

_"W-with orange polkadots…" Makoto volunteered in a small voice. A sound began to fill the room, emanating from almost everyone present. It took a moment for the girls to register the slightly amused gleam that was beginning to alight in the eyes of the three adults before them. They blinked in surprise…then they slowly began to realize what that sound was…_

_Laughter._

_And, nervously, sheepishly at first, then so hard they could hardly breath, Serenity, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako joined in._

Serena drifted out of the dream…ever so slight into the waking world, just barely enough so that some part of her mind registered shadows above her, and voices shouting her name…

Then it was back into oblivion she was pulled, and she welcomed the healing silence.

_Serenity was bored to tears._

_Another ball, another Winter Star celebration. Honestly, ever since that Queen's Tree prank gone wrong, Serenity could honestly say she'd never had a decently enjoyable Winter Star festival. At least, not when she went to the official royal ball._

_Serenity bit her lip wistfully as she remembered the year she had slipped down to the city. She wished she could do so again…she'd had so much fun! Her Senshi had come with her, originally to just protect her and try to get her to come back to the palace, but they'd ended up being the ones wanting to stay longer and having just as much fun as she! Oh, what fun they'd had…_

_Fun, at least, until the Queen had found out. Ever since then, guards who knew Serenity and her many various disguises very well had been posted around the city. She'd tried to sneak down last year, and hadn't even gotten to the city gates._

_Serenity sighed as she turned down another invite to dance from a man who looked twice her age- okay, so he was probably only half her age –almost everyone here was; thirty thousand was a hard age to beat unless you were Lunarian- but still. The sigh turned frustrated. She wanted out! There wasn't even a tree this year to admire… Heh, there hadn't been one since that year so long ago…_

_Even the Senshi weren't here. They –all four of them- had been called away on some deep-space mission which Serenity had been forbidden from accompanying them on._

_Then an idea struck._

_It would kill two birds with one stone… Remedy her deadly boredom, and she would get to see _**him**_…_

_Decided almost as soon as the thought had occurred to her, Serenity immediately began looking for a way to give the slip to the bodyguard set to stand by her side the entire night in place of her Senshi._

_Azure Cerulean, her name was (the matching first and last name was lost on no one, and many wondered if the commander resented her parents for giving her such an amusingly coordinating name). Short, but still taller than Serenity, with brilliant blue-green eyes rimmed in blue so dark as to look black. Her face was so blank it was almost a scowl. Curvy, and more than one man had approached Serenity with the pretense of inquiring about the Princess's health while staring at the red-golden haired beauty behind the Princess- everyone knew that Princess Serenity's heart was taken –by who, no one knew- so the set their sights to those close to the Princess._

_"Commander Azure," Serenity asked pleasantly._

_"Yes, highness?" Azure's voice was soft, but trained, with a hint of underlying kindness that was never absent. Yet the tone was unmistakable; she was still a bodyguard and devoted –as was pretty much everyone, really- to the Princess._

_"I'm going to go get a drink, did you want one?" Serenity's tone, and words, implied she wished to go on her own, even though the table bearing the drinks were on the other side of the room, and she –being the Princess- could have hailed someone to bring her a drink, even one of the guests._

_A smile tugged at the corners of Azure's musty-rose-red mouth, a smile only Serena detected._

_"You're necklace is crooked," Azure said out of the blue, and reached out to straighten the chain of Serenity's golden locket, the clasp of which was down by the heart shaped pendant. Under the pretense of fixing this, she leaned in close._

_"Have fun, highness," the woman said, a smile in her voice, affection in the title. Pulling back after turning the clasp around, she winked just so barely. Grinning after a brief moment of surprise, Serenity grinned and headed for the punch table…_

_Only to duck out a door behind a potted plant and down a darkened corridor, looping around the palace to the transportation room, stopping by her room on the way to grab a long, thick white cloak edged in silver fur. It took the barest of minutes to enter in her code, set the coordinates, and then step onto the transportation bad and send a mental command to the controls. In a blur of silver and white, she was gone from the Moon._

_The disorientation that always came with being transported so far a distance faded almost immediately, as Serenity was well used to planet-to-planet transportations._

_The slight dizziness that followed was immediately placed with a wide grin as she felt herself engulfed in a pair of strong, warm arms and pulled against a strong chest. She laughed, and returned the embrace; she'd know those arms and chest anywhere, as well as the lips that claimed her own, cutting off her laughter._

_"What are you doing here?" The voice of those lips hissed to her before kissing her again._

_"Merry Winter Starshine to you, too, love," Serenity giggled, kissing the black haired, blue eyed Endymion on the nose. Looking sheepish, the man returned the greeting before pulling her in for another earth-shattering kiss._

_"I have something for you," he said, a little breathlessly when the pulled away. He took her hand and pulled her through the snow-frosted rose garden she had appeared in, knowing he'd be there- he was almost always in that garden. They had met there, had told each other who they were there, he had told her of his ancestors there, had given her the locker there…_

_They came to the center of the garden, and Endymion pulled Serenity in front of him. She gasped. There, growing in the center, was a small Silver Fur._

_"I thought they only grew on the moon…" Serenity breathed. Then she looked closer at the small tree, and she burst out with another joyous gasp again as she dashed forward. "_**Roses**_!" She exclaimed, touching one of the silvery-white blooms that was growing on the tree. She looked up at the prince with wide eyes. "How…? Only the very first Silver Fur had roses! And it was destroyed hundreds of years ago!"_

_"Where you're concerned, there's nothing I can't do," he said with a grin, pulling her into his arms again. "Plus I had a little help from a single seed that has been handed down from generation to generation," he added as she hugged him tight. "It was just luck it was silver. Though I admit I did try to, er, encourage it to-" He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Serenity grabbed his face and  pulled him down for a kiss._

_"This is the best Winter Star gift I've ever been given," she told him softly when she pulled away, eyes shining. "Thank you." He touched his forehead to hers, smiling._

_"You're welcome, love," he said. "You're welcome."_

_"Oh, I'll love you forever! You're the only one for me!" She murmured, and snuggled deeper into his arms, oblivious to the sad, distant look on his face, forgetting that he had once told her he sometimes had visions of the future…_

Serena stirred, and she suddenly became aware of the fact that she was warm. She heard the sounds of a fire crackling…she smelled hot chocolate…a warm arm around her… She pried her eyes open. She looked to her right, and discovered that Legolas was beside her, sound asleep. She lay in his arms, she under the blankets, he on top. Apparently he had been trying to keep her warm and had fallen asleep himself.

Sleep…it pulled at her again, and with a slight yawn, she succumbed to its alluring call. She didn't notice when, in his sleep, the elven prince pulled her closer.

_It had been her Christmas present to herself. A date. A symbol of putting __Darien__'s death behind her. Part of her still loved him, and always would, but she had to move on. She had to. For her own sake and for the sake of those she loved around her._

_He was a nice enough guy, Alex, his name had been, and he had understood that while he had been more than just a date, important, he would never come close to anything serious for her. He would be a treasure for someone, she knew. She just hoped that woman would know it._

_Walking home from that date, having turned down an offer of a ride home, she trudged through the snow. With a twist, she remembered when that Ice Queen had attacked…it had been so long ago…_

_No, not all that long ago, actually, only a few years. Was this what it felt like to be old? Feeling like you were a million years old and that things had happened a millennium ago? Funny…things that had happened yesterday seemed so distant, and yet things that had happened a millennium ago, when she had been Princess Serenity, felt like they had happened yesterday. It was because of those dreams, those dreams where she was beginning to remember… They were becoming more frequent, now, more detailed, longer, and she was remembering more and more from them when she awoke._

_Serena hadn't made any plans for this day. She'd made this day for saying goodbye to the man she'd thought she'd be with forever. Funny how Fate loves to twist with people…and their hopes…and dreams…_

_Serena stopped that trail of thought, clamped down on it. She forced a bounce into her step. She was determined to be 'good ole Serena,' even though no one would see her try to be happy. Family away visiting relatives –she had somehow convinced them to let her stay home that year. She had told her friends she needed some alone time that year. Next year, she had promised, next year she would make up for her lack of activity this year by helping them not only plan the Christmas festival, but by throwing the biggest Christmas bash Juuban had ever seen._

_She neared her street, and passed an embracing couple kissing lovingly. She smiled at them. She was getting better, she realized. Last year she would have been stabbed blind with pain at the sight, and at the memory of how __Darien__ had been at her side when the Ice Queen, Kaguya, had attacked. It wasn't quite as painful anymore…maybe she would be able to keep her promise to __Darien__ after all, her promise not to dwell on his death, to love again…_

_With this thought as she moved on, Serena thought maybe she should have agreed to go to that party with her Senshi –even the outers were scheduled to be there!- at the temple… Darien wouldn't want her to shut herself off, not even for a supposed 'healing day' especially not on Christmas._

_Serena reached her house._

_Should she call them? She pondered this as she walked up the steps. She tried to imagine what it would feel like to be such joyous things at a party, with her most beloved friends. Would it hurt? No, she realized with surprise as she entered her dark house, closing the door behind her and kicking off her shoes and slipping out of her jacket._

_No, right now it would actually be…welcome… Maybe she could even get herself to laugh… She felt a smile coming on at the though of having a party with her friends again. An actual smile! How long had it been since she had truly smiled, she wondered, as she made her way to the kitchen.  Joking, laughing, remembering, talking about what a wonderful person __Darien__ could be and at the same time what a jerk he could be…_

_She laughed lightly, sadly, but she laughed nonetheless. And the realization that she could laugh brought tears to her eyes._

_Decided, she picked up the phone, and headed for the living room. In the middle of dialing, she suddenly paused. Something was off…_

**_"SURPRISE!"_**

_Serena dropped the phone and jumped back and was momentarily blinded, so suddenly did the lights turn on in full. When her eyesight cleared, she stared in shock at what lay before her…_

_Ami…_

_Rei…_

_Lita…_

_Mina…_

_The Outers, Haruka, Hotaru, Michiru, Setsuna…_

_Luna, Artimus, her parents, Shingo…_

_Molly, Andrew, Rita, Lizzie, Greg, Chad, Grandpa, Miss Haruna, Melvin, Dr. Himeko and Dr. Kakeru –the scientist and the astronaut that had been involved with the Kagayu adventure- they were all there! A sob was torn from Serena's throat and she rushed forward. She found herself in the middle of the people that loved her. Minako embraced her tightly._

_"Wh-why did you do this?" Serena sobbed, half grateful, half devastated. "Wh-why are you all here? Why are _they_ here?"_

_Crying along with her friend, Mina took Serena by the shoulders and turned her to look at the people gathered._

_"Look at those people, princess," Mina said, on the verge of sobbing herself, not caring who heard or wondered about the title. "_Look_ at them! Each and every person here received a bit of the light and love and happiness and joy that makes up your very soul. Each person here is a better person because of you, because of the love and light you so freely give!" Mina took Serena's face in her hands and turned it to look at her family and friends, even some people she barely knew._

_"They're here, Serenity, to give you back a little of the love you gave them." Mina choked. Rei came over, tears glistening her in her eyes. She hugged her princess._

_"We're here because we love you, our princess, we love and are here for you. Whatever love, whatever hope, whatever light you feel is gone from you and your world, we will give you, we will replace and renew. Do you hear me? We're here for you, Serenity, and we're not leaving. You hear me? **We're not leaving!**"_

_"She's right, koneko," Haruka said with the most affection and admiration and love in her voice anyone besides Michiru had ever heard. "We're not going anywhere."_

_"Baby," Ikuku came forward and took her daughter in her arms. "We know, a lot of us here, we know that there is something about you that most of us will never know. We know you can't tell us, but we do know that you are special. We're all here for you, baby. We'll be your strength. As God gives us strength, we will pass it to you." With this, she pulled out from behind her a small box with a green ribbon around it._

_Still choking on her own sobs, Serena took it, and, blinded by tears, fumbled to open it. Even though she couldn't see through her tears until she blinked them away, she knew what it was the moment it fell into her hands. A crumbled piece of paper, smoothed and neatly folded, then when unfolded revealed a large, bold "30%" in bright red letters._

_It was too much, and Serena sank to the floor in uncontrollable tears as sobs wracked her body. At once, everyone was around her, just as they'd promised… Luna slipped into her arms, and Serena clung to her…they were there, they were all there…_

_And, Serena realized, so was __Darien__. Somehow, someway, he was there. Much to the surprise as all, when Serena calmed, and took her hands away from her face, she was smiling. Beaming with a peaceful joy no one could really understand, she looked out a window up to the moon. Smiling, she looked back down at the crumpled test sheet in her hand, the same one she had thrown over her shoulder to land on __Darien__'s head so long ago…she laughed softly at the memory… She remembered when she had first met him, so long ago on the Moon Kingdom…remembered that present he'd given her,  the silver silver-rose fur…_

_Silence reigned for a moment, before she looked up, smiling at her Senshi._

_"Merry Winter Starshine," she told to them, softly. Then to the rest, "Merry Christmas, everyone. Merry Christmas!"_

Serena opened her eyes to find them wet, yet she was smiling as she fought to sit up. She felt more refreshed than she had in ages…

"Serena?" A voice asked. Serena turned her head to see Legolas in the doorway, concern all over his face. She grinned and jumped out of bed and ran to him. He had barely gotten in the room and shut the door before she barreled into him, hugging the life out of him.

"What's this for?" He asked.

"For saving me, for staying with me, and for being who you are." She said simply as she snuggled into his arms. He enfolded her in his embrace, smiling into her hair as he kissed the top of her head. She tilted her head up to his for a real kiss, and he complied. They stayed thus for a while, kissing softly, lovingly, until a knock on the door jarred them out of their own little world. 

Legolas turned and opened the door to admit, one after the other, the Senshi, who, one by one, embraced their princess until there was just one big Senshi group hug taking place admits laughter and tears.

"Hey!" Serena asked suddenly. "How long have I been sleeping? What's the day?"

Ami grinned. "December 25th," she said. "Both here and if we were to go back to our time a month after we left." Serena grinned.

"So I haven't missed Christmas!" She beamed. "Or rather, Winter Star's Night!"

"Ah, now there's a winter holiday I do recognize!" Legolas laughed. More laughter followed.

"Well, come on!" Hotaru urged. "If you're feeling well enough, get dressed! We still need to set up for the party tonight!"

"She's not going anywhere," Haruka said flatly.

"What?" Hotaru pouted. "I healed her! She's had a whole day to rest!"

"Yeah, c'mon, 'Ruka-chan!" Serena pouted. "I promise I wont lift anything heavy or anything!"

"As if you would even if you were well," Raye snorted, but the tone was affectionate. More laughter, and finally Serena was allowed to go –not that Haruka really had much of a choice. They all filed out of the room, and Serena was left to get dressed. She donned a golden gown trimmed with white fur and silver snowflake embroidery. A fur cap and cloak, and fur-lined boots, and she stepped out of her room to find Legolas standing there.

"Come with me," he said, grinning, taking her hand before she'd said a word.

"Where are we going?" She asked when he led her outside and towards the woods. She was relieved that it was in the opposite direction as that pit. She made a mental note to ask about that later.

It took a while, but at last he seemed to find where he was going. He stopped, the came up behind her and put his hands over her eyes.

"No peeking," he told her, and she heard the smile in his voice. She grinned.

"Not that I have much of a choice," she laughed. They moved forward carefully so she wouldn't trip. At last he seemed satisfied with her position, and took his hands away.

The sight that met her eyes made Serena gasp with more than awe, but also with shock.

"Oh my God…" she breathed.

"You like it?" Legolas asked. He stepped up beside her and took her gloved hand. "You said on Christmas people gave each other gifts to express love and friendship." He waved to the tree in the center of the clearing. "This technically belongs to me. Was a birthday gift from my father. It's been on this land ever since any of us elves can remember. And now I give it to you."

"The first Silver-rose fur…" Serena breathed. It had to be. So far back in time…the ancient magic she sensed deep in its roots… so big…even bigger than the huge Silver Fur Queen Selenity had been so proud of that one year… Serena couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" Legolas asked. Serena grinned. 

"I'll have to tell you a story sometime," was all she said as she turned to him and slipped into his arms. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him thoroughly. "This is one of the best Christmas gifts I've ever been given," she told him truthfully. He grinned, and kissed her.

"_Alassa'Christilai_, Serenity," he told he softly, cradling her face in his hands.

"Merry Christmas to you, too, love," she told him, and raised herself up the last inch needed for their lips to meet. She smiled when they pulled away, and said once more, "_Alassa'Christilai_. Merry Christmas."

**_The End._**

Merry Christmas, one and all! Happy New Years, and God Bless!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	17. Chapter Fifteen: Elves and the HokeyPoke...

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Fifteen**

_by Makura Koneko_

**_Big Thanks To:_**

_(some people get mentioned more than once because they reviewed both Chapter Fourteen and the Christmas Special)_

Solus Nox

tohru-kun 

Adyen 

Empress 

greatgoddess101 

Ray of Hope

Divine Sorceress 

mooniecrazed 

My fair kitty    

SerenityLNguyen 

Larissa 

Lilaclight    

star0704 

Callisto Star 

Lady Light 

Adyn

Kage-Shadow-of-Darkness

sailorbardock1980 

AngelQueen    

Linauri    

Lady Silence 

niner

Tsuki no Tenshi

Sakura-Star-Magick 

Kalliza 

Saturnpyroprincess 

mooniecrazed

ChibiTenshi 

Empress 

erika 

Ray of Hope    

Be'Jammin 

Lilaclight 

greatgoddess101    

TenshiDaisy 

Callisto Star 

Clear 

The Fallen Angel: Draco l 

Sera Luanma 

Kuroi Fuyu 

Linauri    

siren 

Silver- 

Silver Dragonfly 

CrazyJ Girl

empress blade

**_The end is near… On with the Legend!_**

For once, Serena was surprised to find herself pleased with the results of something she was really working on. The sketches on her writing table were flawless; the manga classes she had always wanted to take, and had finally been able to take in High School had paid off. The drawings of the gowns were complete, five of them, one for each of her Senshi. And just in time, too; chatter that was audible outside her room preceded a knock on her door. She jumped to her feet, screeching as she almost overturned her inkwell. She caught it before it spilled any, rightened it, shoved in her chair so as not to trip over it later, she dashed to the door and yanked it open.

"Hey, koneko," Haruka stood there, sweat glistening on her skin and in her hair. She waved to someone down the hall.

"Tomorrow, same time, same place?" She asked.

"We will be there, lady," a voice answered. Serena peeked out the door and looked down the hall to see a reeeeeeeeally tall elf, one with bright blue-green eyes, another with lush lips, and another one with long, long hair bow to Haruka in a teasingly friendly way, then turn and leave.

"Who are they?" Serena asked as Haruka entered and closed the door behind her.

"Sparring partners," she said with a grin. "Let's just say we taught each other some things." Serena raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not gonna ask," she said. And even if she had wanted to, she wouldn't have gotten the chance; another knock on the door, and when it opened, Hotaru and Ami stood there, Hotaru looking as if she had just gotten over a fit of giggles and Ami blushing furiously. Ami pushed inside as politely as she could, Hotaru behind her. She winked at Serena. Serena, baffled and curious, opened her mouth to ask-

"You...you....ugh!" A voice screeched.

"I'll take that as a yes," Boromir's voice, tinted with a lilt of mischief that made the Senshi hide grins, followed Raye's indignant yowl as the raven haired girl shoved past Serena into the room and slammed the door.

"That...that...that..."

"Handsome, brave, devilishly charming man whom, I'm guessing, kissed you and asked you to go riding again tomorrow?" Serena filled in. She had made up that little scenario just to annoy her friend, but when Raye whirled on her, eyes wide, Serena gaped. "You...you mean..." Serena stuttered. "You mean he really _did_? He really did kiss you and ask you to riding tomorrow? He _kissed_ you???"

Raye growled and plopped down onto the bed.

"I don't want to talk about it," she snapped, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she turned her face upwards in an attempt to be haughty. All she did with that act, though, was prominently display her bruised lips... Realizing this fact when more giggles erupted, she flushed, scowled, and rounded on Serena.

"What did you call us here for, anyway, meatball brains?" She snapped. "We have less half an hour to get ready for that ball, and goodness knows we're gonna need every second." She glared down at the dress that fit horribly.

Grinning, taking no offense from her friend's hissy fit, Serena turned to her desk and handed each girl a piece of parchment with a drawing on it.

"If you don't like 'em, I can change them." The Princess said. "They're our gowns for the honor ball feast thingy tonight."

"They're lovely, Serena," Ami said after a moment of looking at hers with delight. "But...we don't have the time to make these or have them made."

Serena waved her hand dismissively. "Let me handle that," she said. "Now, do you like them or not?"

"Neckline on mine is too low," Raye sniffed, shoving the paper back into Serena's hand. Without blinking, Serena turned, sat at her desk, and with a few deftly place pen strokes, she fixed the source of Raye's annoyance with the drawing and handed it back.

"Fine," The Martian warrior said grudgingly. Truth was she'd never seen such a beautiful gown...

"Do I _have_ to wear a dress?" Haruka came precariously close to whining. Serena smirked.

"Yes," she said. "Think of it this way. With that skirt, you can hide your sword and a dagger or two under it. If you wore pants and a blouse, you wouldn't be able be armed."

"And why not?" Haruka demanded with a frown.

"We're guests of peace, 'Ruka-chan," Serena said, a bit of her mother's voice slipping into her tone. "No weapons." Her eyes twinkled. "Least not any obvious ones." Haruka grumbled, then deemed the dress fine, then tried to hand the paper back. 

"Keep it for now," she said. "Study it. You too, Raye, memorize yours." Serena looked to Hotaru and Ami. "You guys are okay with them?" They nodded. "Okay, then, study yours, too."

Within moments, the four girls had fixed the images of their gowns in their mind, and Serena took the papers back, and put them on her desk. She closed her eyes, and called up to her own mind an image of her own gown... She turned back to her friends, and ushered them into a circle.

"Hold hands," she commanded. Curious about what their Princess was planning on doing, they did so. Serena raised her hand, whispered something, and the moon sigil, ever present on her forehead nowadays, glowed briefly. All at once the girls understood when they saw the Luna Disguise pen materialize in Serena's grip.

"Put your hands on my shoulders," she instructed to Haruka, on her left, and Ami, on her right. They did so, and Serena held out the Disguise Pen out before her. "Close your eyes and picture your gowns," she said. Nodding, they did so.

Slowly, they all began to glow...

Then, abruptly, the faint silver glow brightened, flashed, then dimmed in a swirl of golden stars. When it faded away, the girls laughed and squealed in delight. Clad in silks, satins, chiffon, frothy gauzes and glittering embroidery, all in their respective colors, they truly looked their birthrights for the first time in ages; Princesses of the Silver Planetary Alliance Imperial Kingdoms, White Moon, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, and Saturn.

"Shall we?" Serena said, grinning, eyes shining as a knock on the door interrupted their laughter and comparing of gowns. 

"We shall!" Ami grinned; she couldn't wait for Frodo to see her... She blushed at the thought as Serena opened the door, only to engulf the person standing outside it in a bear-crushing hug.

Good thing Legolas was no bear... Eyes dancing, he returned the embrace.

"Come," he said. "The festivities have begun and everyone is waiting for you." He and Serena unconsciously slid into place together; her at his side, arm loosely around his torso, his arm around her shoulders. The girls exchanged amused grins, then followed the couple out of Serena's room and down towards the ballroom.

No one noticed a small shadow in the window hiss, and slip away...

The ballroom, it turned out, was actually more of an outdoor arena. Balls of silver and gold light hovered high above, giving light, though somehow not obscuring the light of the stars at the same time. With the moon, stars, glow-balls, and hundreds of candles lighting the bordering-on-massive ball-arena, everyone there practically glowed.

Five women in particular, though, stood out far beyond anyone else when they entered the arena, descending down a set of grand steps. The one who drew the most attention of all five, though, was, befittingly, on the arm of the Prince himself.

She was clad in a gown that seemed to be made of airy moonlight itself, flowing as if made of a glowing creamy, smoky mist. The silver pearls, silver and gold embroidery along the hem, neckline, empire waist, and the edges of the flowing angel sleeves seeming to be the only thing keeping the gown, and the woman herself, from floating up to the stars.

"What are they staring at?" Serena whispered, swallowing thickly, self consciously reaching up to feel for an odd-looking wisp of escaped hair. Legolas, beside her, grinned slightly.

"You," he answered her question, amusement in his voice. He looked at her, and suddenly Serena knew that it wasn't a bad type of staring. She blushed.

"Oh," she said softly, ducking her head slightly and sidling closer to her companion as her Senshi behind her laughed along with Legolas.

Somehow, Boromir had managed to convince Raye to at least let him be her escort into the ballroom. The fact that all the other girls had an escort, and she would have had to go alone if she hadn't accepted was part of the reason she had reluctantly agreed.

Suddenly Thranduil was before them, greeting them all warmly. He looked at Serena a moment, clad in all her magical splendidry, her golden moon sigil brightly prominent on her forehead, the pearls intertwined with her hair bringing one's attention to her inhuman, even un-Elvin, silver-gold locks. His lips quirked discreetly, and then he bowed slightly, more of an incline of the head than anything else. Haruka smirked, and Raye nodded in approval when he stood straight again. It had been a small something, but as much as an apology for his rude behavior towards Serena that morning as they were going to get. It was also the only acknowledgment they would probably ever get from any elf that Serena was indeed practically a elf.

Attention slipped away from the new arrivals as even newer arrivals arrived. Turning to look, the Senshi and their companions –Legolas, Boromir, Frodo, and two of the elves Haruka had sparred with, long-hair and blue-green eyes- grinned.

"Ari!" Serena called up to Aragorn, waving. "Gimli, Gandalf! Merry, Pip, Sam!" The hobbits, with absolutely no regard for decorum, raced down the stairs to hug the golden haired woman, and she, with only slightly more restraint, returned their affectionate embraces.

"Golly, lookit!" Pippin exclaimed with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Merry followed his gaze, then grinned wickedly when he spotted what Pippin was staring at; the buffet table. They were gone before anyone could tell them to contain themselves.

"I'm surprised Serena didn't spot it before them…" Haruka murmured under her breath. Her companion beside her, Long-Hair, laughed. Turned out he actually had a name; Elothien. Haruka looked to where green-blue eyes –Tihethil- was whispering something to Hotaru that was making the poor girl have quite a bit of trouble containing her giggles. Haruka grinned. The Firefly had come a long, long way from the shy, trembling, physically-weak, abused child she had been a long time ago.

"You all seem quite close, you and the Senshi and your princess," Elothien commented as he accepted to flute glasses of a beverage that resembled champagne and handing one to Haruka. The blonde woman's lips quirked.

"Closer in some ways, distant in others," she said after a moment. "As you know, the Senshi are separated into two halves; the inners and the outers. Hotaru and I are of the outers. All the other girls present are of the Inners. We…don't always get along."

"Yet you agree on things that matter," Elothien pointed out, sipping his drink. Haruka grinned as she watched Serenity, surrounded by elven ladies and lords alike, glowing with youth and happiness, a watchful, smiling Legolas beside her. A plate piled high with sweets in her hand, she managed to keep up a cheerful, lively conversation with everyone around her and continue to eat at the same time. How she managed this all, and still looked every bit a pixie of a princess, Haruka didn't know.

"Yeah," Haruka said, watching her princess laugh. She glanced to where Raye, Ami, and Hotaru all continued to throw glances to their princess, like parents would to their child at the playground. Ever watchful, ever protective. "Yeah, I guess we do," she smiled.

"When are the games gonna start?" Serena asked Legolas once the party-goers curiosity of her had been sated, and nearly everyone in the room had talked to her for at least five minutes, including Legolas's father. So startled by her question was Legolas, he forgot to correct her 'gonna' with 'going to.'

"Pardon?" He asked. Serena grinned.

"The games," she said. "Y'know, twister, spin the bottle, the hokey-pokey-"

"The what?" Legolas asked incredulously. Serena's eyes widened with innocent horror.

"You don't know the hokey-pokey?" She gasped. Legolas blinked.

"Should I?" He asked.

"_Everyone_ knows the hokey-pokey!" Serena said with grand conviction. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to where the Elvin equivalent of an orchestra was up on a dais on one end of the ballroom. She reached up and tapped the 'conductor' on the shoulder. The man looked down at her with surprise. The music players knew the song well enough that they continued to play even when the conductor abandoned his guidance to bend over, from the dais, to listen to the girl whisper in his ear.

"I beg your pardon, lady?" The elf said with surprise. Serena pouted, her lips pursed.

"Is our entertainment not suitable for you?" Thranduil made his presence known, coming up behind Serena and Legolas. Serena turned.

"It's fine," she said innocently. "But I was just wondering when we were going to play the games." She ignored Legolas's attempts to silence her. Thranduil's eyes widened, then he laughed.

"And what games might the little faerie wish to play?"

"I'd say lets start with the hokey-pokey, since no one here knows it, and everyone should know the hokey-pokey!" Serena said with complete self conviction. "It's an essential to the game world!"

"You've got to be kidding me…" Raye said, passing them and overhearing. She pulled Boromir over to them. 

"Raye!" Serena grinned. "Wanna help me? Here, get the band to stop playing, will you? And get everyone's attention? I know I'm louder than you, barely, but you're better at getting someone to actually pay attention to you. Then I'll get on the stage and show everyone how to do the hokey-pokey!" Raye stared at her princess with wide eyes.

"You're joking," she said, her voice full of hope. Serena blinked. "Why would I be joking? It's a fun game, and these people look like they could use some fun!" She waved her hand to where a hundred or so elves were laughing and talking in low voices –at least, low compared to the loud, open conversation Serena was used to at large parties- and the dancing, while different and exotic and fun looking, was currently rather calm to match the lovely melody being played.

Thranduil looked mildly amused rather than offended.

"By all means, if her highness believes her own honor ball to be in need of 'fun' then let the teaching of this game of 'hokey-pokey' commence." He handed his flute glass to a passing server, and waved down the conductor. The conductor nodded, ended the song, then directed a trumpeter to play a short piece to get everyone's attention. Thranduil stepped up.

"Guests of my friends, friends of my guests, guests of honor, and honored guests," he said, smiling. "Her ladyship, the Princess Serenity, wishes to allow me to teach you all a 'game.'"

Murmurs rose up, most of the genre of curiosity. Thranduil held down his hand to assist Serena up onto the stage. Rather than be embarrassed every other time she'd had this many eyes on her, the squeeze Legolas gave her hand and the smile of encouragement that shone out of his eyes gave her strength, and she stood up in front of over a hundred elves, all clad in their finest.

"Um, ok, I've never had so many people do this before, let alone _showed_ this many people how to do it, so we'll all give a whirl and see how it goes, k?" Her excitement was contagious, and no one watching her could resist at least a small grin.

"Ok, the game is called 'the hokey-pokey.' I dun- er, I don't know why, but I suppose it's just some funny name someone gave it cuz it, well, sounded funny and amusing." Realizing she was rambling when Raye gave her a look, Serena flushed and turned to the conductor. She waved him up, and hummed a tune into his ear, and asked him to have the 'band' play it. He nodded, grinning slightly.

Within a few moments, the tune, unfamiliar to the players, shakily made its way upon the airwaves to the ears of the elves. Upbeat and very different from anything they'd ever heard, amusing in its simplicity, it made several faces grin wider.

"Okay, now, everyone needs to get in a _biiiiig_ circle around the room, c'mon, you too, Mr. Thranduil, Legolas, c'mon!" Suddenly unsure of the sense behind this, Serena's audience slowly moved to comply. When at last everyone was in an uneven circle of sorts, Serena grinned and nodded with satisfaction.

"Great! Okay, now it goes like this," Serena said, smiling from ear to ear as she waited for the right beat –the band was quite good at the song, now- then…

"'_You put your right foot in,_

_you put your right foot out,_

_you put your right foot in,_

_and y'shake it all about._

_Y'do the hokey-pokey and y'turn yourself about,_

_that's what it's all about!_" 

She demonstrated the motions she sang, hiking up her skirts high enough so that you could see her ankles, and then planting her right foot firmly in front of her, quite far out, then pulling it back, then sticking it out again and shaking it. Only a few elves and the Senshi were even attempting to do it along with her, and most were simply staring, agape, shock on their faces.

Hotaru, seeing this, dissolved into giggles and rushed up onto the stage with her friend. She linked arms with Serena, and sang and acted out the next bit along with her.

"'_You put your left foot in,_

_you put your left foot out,_

_you put your left foot in,_

_and y'shake it all about._

_Y'do the hokey-pokey and y'turn yourself about,_

_that's what it's all about!_"

Only a few more, embolded by the young girl's open declaration of her support for the princess, tried it this time.

Raye frowned. She looked to Haruka and Ami, who returned her looks, and they made a decision. When they had promised to stick with their princess through thick and thin, they hadn't just meant bloody battles! Depositing their drinks in the hands of their dates, they climbed up on the stage to stand with Hotaru and Serena, whom had unlinked their arms for the next bit, and they, too, sang along and danced out the following verse.

"'_You put your left hand in,_

_you put your left hand out,_

_you put your left hand in,_

_and y'shake it all about._

_Y'do the hokey-pokey and y'turn yourself about,_

_that's what it's all about!_"

About half the elves now were doing it, but the other half were looking extremely dubious, and even those that were doing it looked extremely uncomfortable. Some looked ready to leave.

Legolas, seeing this, sighed, handed his drink to his father, turned, and climbed up onto the stage. Standing with Serena, he joined in. The smile she gave him made it more than worth it as he stuck his right arm out, then out behind him, then out in front of him again only to wiggle it about in a most silly fashion.

Laughter erupted this time at the sight of their prince wiggling his limbs and grinning and laughing and singing the silliest of songs. 

Still, a few looked hesitant.

Throwing his resolve to the wind, Thranduil climbed up onto the stage. This seemed to break the ice, and all at once, every elf in the stadium/ball room broke out into laughing song, feet and hands wiggling and shaking 'all about.'

In the middle of the second singing of the third verse, Raye looked to Serena, on the other side of Hotaru, whom was on Raye's left.

_"How does she do it?"_ Raye thought. _"How does a sixteen year old human girl with the soul and memories of a thirty thousand year old alien princess with the personality of five year old manage to get over a hundred proud elves to sing and dance to a child's song and game? _**How**_?"_

Raye couldn't even begin to contemplate. She could only appreciate, and for once, that was good enough for her.

The Hokey-Pokey kept a'hokey a' poky'in for several hours, after which Serena introduced to this elegant race the game of 'Simon Says.' The first winner, a young –by elven standards- woman seemed to get a grand sort of glee out of getting to order not only her husband around, but Thranduil as well.

Then had come the game Haruka had feared most; the Telephone game, which they called Gossip since the elves obviously wouldn't know what a telephone was. The results were absolutely hilarious, since short phrases such as sections of tongue twisters (Rubber baby buggy bumpers) and simply silly statements (I like crocodiles best with pink polka dots!) ended up being so hilariously scandalous it took a good half hour for everyone to recover from the laughter sufficiently in order to start all over again.

It was during what would probably be one of the last round of Gossip that Serena, while waiting for the phrase to come around so she could repeat what it had become aloud, that she felt it.

The same sensation of being…observed that had plagued her when the Companionship had been crossing the Fields to get to Mirkwood.

The sections of the 'stadium' walls were spaced out by open sections that revealed the forest that surrounded them. Serena had her back to one of these sections, now, and a shiver ran up and down her spine.

_"Nothing there, Tsukino…just your imagination…just your overly childish imagination…"_

But when was the last time she had imagined something and it hadn't been true…? Not since coming to Middle Earth, not since Legolas had been determined to help her bring out and cultivate her true princess self…

Serena glanced over her shoulder…

She didn't even have time to regret it before her eyes met those of the most terror-inspiring red, and her mind was as if it were stuck in the grip of a vice. Tickling tendrils of darkness wiggled themselves into her brain, and she, her mind completely paralyzed, could do nothing as those tendrils of darkness tapped into the motor part of her brain, and her feet began walking towards those red eyes of their own accord.

She couldn't even demand her own legs to stop, she couldn't think…it was as though her mind was dying…

Serena fought with all her mind, heart, and soul, but the grip on her brain this creature had on her would not be dissuaded by her stubbornness alone…she needed help… Yet there was no way for her to call for it…

On Serena fought…if she could regain enough control of her own mind to summon her Crystal…

If Serena had been able, she would have blinked in surprise. She couldn't use her brain…yet she was still thinking…how?

_"My soul…"_ Serena realized with surprise. She relaxed, felt around her, and realized that indeed Serena had receded from her own mind, and was now purely just a soul…yet she had form….

The Crystal! Yes, it was true, Serena was buried inside the Silver Crystal, and thus safe from the reaches of evil, so long as she didn't try to reinstall herself into her physical body…she could feel the evil that was saturating her physical form, and she shuddered mentally.

Horror filled her being, then, when she saw through her mind's eye what was happening; the body of Serena walked into the dark woods, where a creature crystal-Serena instantly recognized as an Uruk-hai sweep the princess up and over his shoulder, and disappeared into the woods. 

Serena retracted herself from her body completely. She knew where she was being taken. She knew how long it would take. She knew what would happen once she got there. Somehow, she was completely calm… 

Knowing there was nothing she could do until her physical body arrived at Barad-dur, Serena's mind gave the sensation of settling in for a good long wait, until she got to where her kidnapper was taking her…

Ever so slightly, Serena's mind smiled. It was not a kind smile.

_"Eager for death, aren't you, Sauron? I promised I would come for you. Yet now you practically beg me to kill you. I made a promise, father, and I will keep it. Don't think that because I come to your place on your terms I will fail..."_

**_"We will see about that, daughter."_** The voice was as dark as ever, but the foreboding presence was greatly muffled through the shielding of the Crystal. Serena smiled again.

_"Yes, we will see about that, father, yes we will."_

**_To Be Continued…_**

Heh heh… I had too much fun writing this chapter… ^^ hee hee…

**Current Vote Status on the 'Stay in Middle Earth vs. Go Home to the 21st Century Poll:'**

**Stay in Middle Earth:** _12_

**Go Home to 21st Century:** _4_

Keep voting!

For other news…my wrist is better, obviously! Vitimin C does help. ^__^ Thank you all so much for your sweet get well wishes! I'm so glad flues don't prevent one from sitting down and typing –so long as it's not a headcold, of course. ^^

**Note 1: **I am currently on a quest for artists to do sketches of Celenithil, the Senshi in their new outfits, or a scene from the story –of their choice- for you guys. If you would like to draw an image of Celenithil, Serenity, or Serena in Middle-Earth garb, I will love you forever. Just e-mail me at: Makura_Koneko@hotmail.com 

Thnx!

**Note 2:**  Only two more chapters to go till the end, peoples! *tears*

**Note 3:** I wrote the below A/N before I even wrote the above chapter! ^^ I'm blonde. Just thought I'd warn you that it's a little outdated.

**Old A/N that I can't bring myself to delete for some odd reason:**

WEEEE!!!!! I'm soooo jazzed, I just gotta tell you all about this… Every year at my Church we have a Christmas party, the main event of which is the Masters of the Table contest. The name speaks for itself; each group (the entire youthgroup is divided into groups of about eight boys or girls) is assigned a section of our HUGE auditorium, and they get to decorate that area with any theme they want (they don't _have_ to use a table; you an just claim a section of the floor, but most use a table).

Well, this year, my group did Candyland. It was so cute! We used a beanbag and put brown and black cloth over it to make Gloppy, and we took another two beanbags and put blue cloth over them and then pinned and taped a bunch of big pink balloons to the cloth to make the Sea of IceCream, and we had thick white glossed cardboard for the gingerbread house, a picket fence we glued lollypops to (we made the lollypops out of round stierfome thingies stuck on sticks with suranwrap around them), and then two lampposts we taped big plastic candycanes to, to make the entrance to the Peppermint Forest. 

We got to dress up, too! One girl was Lord Licorice, another girl was King Kandy, my friend Steph was Mr. Mint, and I *strikes pose* was Queen Frostine! I had this BEAUTIFUL opalescent wig I made by gluing about an inch think layer of tinsel (the kind that you buy that is attached at the top) to the inside of this blue and silver tiara. Then I made my staff by hotgluing a silver snowflake star tree-topper to the top of a white wooden curtain rod, and gluing more blue tinsel to hang down. ^^ I'm so proud of myself. And I made the dress. From scratch. *beams* It looked sooooo cool!!!

It was all so much fun, but the crowning event was, of course, that WE WON!!!!! This whole thing happened last night – as I write this- so I'm still pretty jazzed. ^^

Okay, now, if you read all that, I thank you, since I know it has absolutely nothing to do with FF.net or my story. ^^

On a story-related note, I would like people to start voting on whether or not they want some/all of the Senshi to stay/go home. If you think some should stay and some should go home, please specify who goes and who stays. I will tally the votes in Chapter Sixteen, which should –if I stick to my plans- be the second-to-last chapter, which means vote now!!!

Thank you all for your support! I can't believe this story is finally reaching its end… Yes, you heard my right folks, probably only a few more chapters to go. Maybe an extra one if I do an epilogue (which I almost always do… -.-').

But then I'll probably work on 'Dream of Reality,' so I won't totally disappear from the world of LotR/SM crossovers.

OMG another thing, my best friend got us tickets to the opening night premier to the Two Towers on the 18th!!!! (I know, by the time I post this it will probably be almost the year 2003, but I'm still excited!) I'm sooooo excited –didn't I just say that? -.-' It's a privet screening (no, it's not that big fancy one that all the celebrities go to in New York, THAT one would take a miracle for a hometown girl like me to get into. *tears*) at the biggest theater in our town (me being a typical blonde, I forget the name. .) and there's a dinnerparty afterwards, and I get to dress up and everything! My friend and I are going shopping for our outfits tomorrow. ^^

Anyhoo, I should probably stop yapping now and start on chapter sixteen, ne? ^^ Yeesh, I think I just broke my own record for the longest A/N…heh heh…. ^^;;; Oh well.

Ja ne, all and until next time!

**_Hope Makes the Universe Shine,_**

_Makura Koneko_

***ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY***


	18. Chapter Sixteen: Star Dance

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Sixteen**

_by Makura Koneko_

**Middle Earth vs. 21st Century Poll:**

**Middle Earth:** 46(--- Oiy…. _0_.o)

**21st Century:** 5

**_Big Thanks to:_**

Ai! There were too many to respond to!!! *buries face in hands* You're all so wonderful!!!!

**Meio-chan **

**PrincessLesse **

**Cassie-bear01**

**Reiko**

**Ray of Hope**

**Tabbes**

**Allie**

**Sunshine Fia**

**Missie V-DuCaine**

**Adyen **

**Chibi Arwen**

**christina**

**Azhuraea**

**Eternalmoonprincess**

**happy_girl00424**

**Kousagi Celen **

**..tyne…**

**Divine Sorceress**

**Hikari**

**alexz**

**Linauri**

**star0704**

**SailorFad64 **

**Serena***

**VioletHaze**

**Taria **

**makoto-18**

**Kyuuka-Kaimei**

**sapphireskies**

**SerenityLNguyen **

**Saturnpyroprincess**

**bee**

**Solus Nox **

**Hekate aka Bunni V**

**Empress**

**sailor shadowstar**

**ChibiTenshi**

**Serenity_C**

**GJ**

**Lilaclight**

**Sailor Star Scream**

**Serenity Silvermoon**

**SilverStarlightAngel **

**Silver-chan **

**tima**

**Samantha **

**CrazyJgirl**

**leliel**

**ElberethUndomiel**

**Sakura-Star-Magick **

**AngelQueen**

**Silver Dragonfly**

**Be'Jammin**

**Eliza**

**Silver-Star**

**Hitori**

**moon**  

**_The _****_Battle_****_ has begun… Let us watch for the outcome…_**

_The stars danced. That was what they did. They danced to the music of time, letting their eternal dance be guided by the melodies that the threads of eternity wove for them. _

_The stars had been dancing, gaily as ever, when they'd sensed a disturbance. They'd looked 'over their shoulders,' so to speak, behind them, to the glowing threads of time that they'd danced over long ago. They glowed even brighter, now; something was happening. Something new. Eager for a new melody to follow, new music that was being woven by this alternate past, they abandoned the present to dance to the music of this paradox of a different history. _

_They danced over these new glowing happenings, not caring that there would come a time when a decision would have to be made. And depending on the choice made in this decision, the stars would either dance over these new events on to a completely different path than they'd come back from, or they would re-dance the dance they had abandoned to come and explore this alternate past. _

_They did care, however, that if the choice went a certain way, a paradox would be created… For that meant that there would be two sets of an eternal dance for them to dance to. This made them glad, for the stars loved to dance._

_And so the stars danced._

Serena the 21st century school girl slept. And as she slept, Serenity the princess of the Moon and heir to the Galaxy awoke. She felt herself surrounded by evil so saturatingly thick, even the crystal walls around her, the inside of the Silver Crystal, seemed to loose some of its shine. 

Serenity felt…different. Stronger. She peeked out of her haven, let herself look out into the physical world. She both felt and sensed her physical body roughly dumped in the middle of a large, circular stone room. The walls were caked with dried magma, and the only light came from a perfectly circular black marble ball atop a roughly hewn stone pedestal not far from Serenity's body.

Serenity sensed Sauron as never before. He was more potent than she could ever imagine him to be, yet he couldn't touch her. He dared not. To seek her in the deepest, most intimate regions of her soul would be to put himself completely at her mercy, and that was what he would not do. 

Slowly, so slowly, Serenity let herself slip out of the protection of the Crystal, and settle back into her own physical body.

The vice on her brain had been released. Serenity made a mental not to ask Gandalf, when it this was all over, to help her find a way to prevent it from happening again.

Serenity noted with a frown and a sigh that her gown was completely ruined.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Serenity stood, careful of her weary legs; cuts and abrasions adorned them, and she was weak for lack of food and water; she had hidden within the haven of her Crystal for several days, maybe even weeks… She frowned. It couldn't be weeks… Ami had said she'd only had a few more days before her body would begin to deteriorate, so it couldn't have been any longer than a few days ago that she'd been kidna-

Pain lashed up Serenity's body, and a cry of agony was unwillingly released from her throat as she fell to the ground, clutching her abdomen. It _hurt_! Oh, God, it hurt…it was like…like…

With sickening dread, Serenity realized it felt like she was being skinned alive…like when she had first arrived in Middle-Earth, right before bringing Boromir back…when her soul had been exposed to all the raw power of the world without her body to protect it.

With dreading anticipation, Serenity forced her eyes open, and raised her arm with painful effort…

She could see right through her hand.

Her body was fading.

"This can't be happening…" Serenity sobbed. Her Senshi! Where were they? She needed them! If they didn't come soon, she would die, fade from existence… This wasn't a matter of power or strength or will. This _was_. You can't kill a shadow by dropping a bomb on it. Only light would erase it. It was the same concept here; no level of power, no crystal, no advanced form of Sailor Moon could save her. It wasn't a matter of power, it was a matter of approach. Only the haven of her own body could save her. Unless…

The Crystal! Could it be that the reason this process had been delayed was because her soul had been safe in her Crystal within her temporary body? No, if that were true, then even though she was inside her crystal, her physical body still would have deteriorated. But what if it _had_ been deteriorating? She just hadn't known it because she'd been inside the Crystal.

Then that meant maybe she still had time…

God, it hurt…

Slowly, tentively, careful of her waning strength reserves, Serenity called on the Crystal. It flickered into solid existence before her, glowing softly, comfortingly. The glow enveloped her, knowing what its mistress wanted. Slowly but steadily, Serenity felt her body solidify once more, the pain lessen.

When she was able to open her eyes without screaming in pain, she did so and glanced around herself at her surroundings.

The room was the same as she had perceived it from within the Crystal's protective confines. The round room looked like it had been formed by magma cooling and hardening around a huge air bubble… As interesting as this fact was, Serenity's attention went immediately to a perfectly round stone made of black and white marble atop the pillar in the center of the round room. A Seeing Stone.

Shaking with weakness, she stood. A crystal staff formed in her hand at the briefest thought. She leaned on it heavily as she limped to the Seeing Stone, her bare feet making not a single sound on the uneven lavastone floor; only the gentle 'clank' of the crystal staff on stone.

She stared at it, daring not to touch it. She shuddered as she felt Sauron's eye on her. Her movements slow, she reached down and tore a large section out of her skirt and flung it over the Seeing Stone. 

Slowly she hobbled to the edge of the room, where she sank down to the floor, leaning against the curved wall. Her staff faded and disappeared.

She shivered as she felt that the sensation of being watched had lessened, but only slightly. That was to be expected. Somehow she knew that she was in the very heart of Sauron's hold. The very heart. No Orc had ever been here, in this room. Ever. How did she know this? She had no idea.

Still… Why tempt fate? She was vulnerable right now. Very vulnerable. More so than she had ever been… At least those times when she'd first become Sailor Moon she'd been strong and healthy, even if inexperienced and not very powerful. Now she wasn't even that, and her power reserves were low…very low… she wasn't even sure if she had enough strength to transform… She winced. If she couldn't transform, she was in real trouble. True, she was strongest as Princess Serenity, normally. But right now Princess Serenity was badly hurting. Plus…

Serenity hadn't thought of his before, but in this form, she shared a link with Sauron in the form of blood and flesh. She was, genetically, at least, his daughter. He would use that, she knew, she knew he would find a way to use that against her. But Serena, lately, had been becoming more and more Serenity, plus she was weaker than a newborn babe against Sauron, in more than one way. She had weaknesses Serenity did not.

The Moon Warrior was her only choice, her only hope. But how to transform…?

Sauron was getting things into place, things as he wished it, so he would have the maximum advantage. This she knew to the depths of her soul. He would be ready to challenge, her soon. He wanted this battle out of the way as badly as she did. But he, of course, desired a completely different outcome than she did…

Serenity groaned. She could feel the Crystal waning. She couldn't let it tax out; it was the only thing keeping her alive right now… A body. She needed a new body…

With a snap Serenity remembered the sensations she had felt when she had first transformed into that advanced form of Sailor Moon, so long ago, back at the beginning of this crazy adventure. Celenithil, she had named that form. 'Silver Moon Warrior.' What was it Luna had once said? Back on the Moon kingdom? When she had been explaining why when they –the Senshi- transformed, the wounds they'd had in their normal bodies faded?

_"Contrary to what you feel and what you look like, when you first transform you're not completely transformed. It takes up to half an hour for your body to completely switch from your mortal body to your Senshi form. Your Senshi form is a different body, a body that has no injuries, so naturally, as you switch, your injuries fade out of existence, until finally, when you are fully in your Senshi form, your injuries are gone, left behind in your old form. Since you are technically not occupying your human form, your mortal body can spend it's time healing that wound, rather than keeping your spirit hosted. Which is why when you detransform, you injuries are still gone._

_"It is also why during times of war, you are required to stay transformed. It may feel like you are at your full power the moment you transform, but since you are actually still transferring, so are your powers growing. You are actually not at your full power till at least ten minutes after you transform, which is why it sometimes takes longer to defeat an enemy if you transform right before confronting it."_

It hadn't made much sense then, but now it did, somewhat.

So now it was doubly important she find a way to transform… Both to keep herself alive and to be at full strength for the battle that was approaching.

Serenity shivered.

The rage of the Gray wizard had been great when he had sniffed the potent magic surrounding the place where Serenity had been ensnared with a mind control spell, a spell Gandalf recognized from his years of friendship with Saruman, a spell Gandalf knew Saruman was very, very good at.

When the Companionship had left to try and reach Barad-dur in time to save Serenity, Gandalf had, without explanation, chosen to stay behind, for now. Of course, the Companionship didn't know that his 'for now' pertained to only a few hours in his mind.

As soon as Elves of Mirkwood and found things to occupy themselves to distract themselves from their worry –whether or not Serenity was rescued would, after all, determine the fate of Middle-Earth- Gandalf packed himself a pack of supplies, and then walked out. He was a wizard, and he didn't want anyone to notice his leaving so thus, naturally no one saw him, or any who did wouldn't care to remember an old man leaving the halls of Mirkwood to find his way to a lush field not far.

The sunlight was fading over the trees, the golden light lending itself to add to the spectacular beauty around him. Gandalf hardly saw any of it. A beautifully haunting melody, eerily similar to the tune played by Serenity's locket, flowed from Gandalf's lips in a gentle whistle. While it was soft, it still somehow seemed to be carried to the ends of the earth.

The unearthly white beast that showed itself, stepping out of the woods, at first glance could have been mistaken for a unicorn, for its breathtaking beauty. Even when you realized it was only a horse, the awe still stayed with you, and you knew that no, this was no ordinary horse.

"Hello, my old friend," Gandalf greeted the lord of all horses. "I call you again in need of your help." The horse looked Gandalf in the eye, seeming to say, of course _I'll help you, you idiot. You don't need to ask_. He pawed at the earth, as if to say, _Get on, already, if you want to get to Saruman before he uses that black-tainted white magic of his to do further harm._

Gandalf smiled, and mounted up, grinning. "Thank you, Shadowfax," he told the creature. Staff in one hand, other hand tangled in the horse's mane, he urged his mount forward, towards Isengarde.

Somehow, some way, Serenity, after a while of resting, felt her strength begin to return, and thus was able to regain some sense of logical thought.

She needed to find her way out of here. She couldn't fight Sauron the way she was now. She knew why he had come to get her instead of waiting for her to fulfill her promise of coming after him once the Ring was destroyed, once she could rely on her body. He'd known she'd planned on going back to the future, only to reclaim her own body then use the Crystal to come back at her full strength, and do away with him.

He also knew of her weaknesses; the fact that she was running out of time, and being without the support of her loved ones. He had decided to use those two things against her, of course. She felt so stupid for not realizing that he would, for being so careless as to let herself be caught.

Well, there was no help for it now other than to find a way out, find her Senshi. It wasn't much of a plan, hardly a plan at all, hardly more than a goal, but it was better than nothing.

Serenity forced herself to her feet, and spied an opening in the wall, a doorway of sorts. She walked to it, calling on her crystal staff once more to lean on it heavily as she limped over to it. She was in the very heart of Barad-dur, deep into the fortress, the heart of which was sealed off, a place where, before her, no one had walked for a long, long time, and thus there was much dust, dust that rose with each footstep and clouded the air, choking her lungs. She was forced to call on a bit of her power to blow away the dust before her. It was draining, but at least now she could breathe.

It was eerie, how she knew her way. She frowned. She didn't like not knowing where her information came from. She closed her eyes, tried to trace it… 

She smiled as she discovered what was/had happened. Part of her mother, part of her grandmother had been installed into the Moongold Locket. Those parts remained even unto when the Locket had been split, into the smaller Locket and the Ring. Now that knowledge lifted itself up out of the bit of Queen Selenity's memory within the Locket, and settled down into Serenity's mind, so that the white-haired woman knew exactly where everything was. This was, after all, where she had been born, where she had spent her first year of life. Baraduil, now Barad-dur.

For all she, Queen Selenity, had been forced to come here, Serenity sensed that her mother had loved this place, when it had been bright and cheery. Now it was dark and drab, the wall hangings burned away, the floor covered in slimy gunk, blood, bones, filthy threshes. It would have broken the Moon Queen's heart to see her beloved summer palace like this…

Serenity longed to call upon that old illusion spell, that spell that had been among the first Luna had taught her. But her power was low…

Suddenly anger rose up in her heart. How dare he! How dare he kidnap her, how dare he make her weak, how dare he rob her of what little time she had left with the man- er, elf she loved! How _dare_ he! How dare he be responsible for denying her the ability to see the things, the place her mother had loved as it was meant to be seen…

"How dare you…" Serenity hissed, her fist clenched at her side… Her grip on her staff became, despite her weakness, precariously tight…

"How dare you…" Unbeknownst to her, silver light had begun to seep out from underneath her closed eyelids, so brightly were her eyes flashing… Her grip on her staff tightened… Blood dripped from her hand from the gouges her fingernails had made in her palm…

The staff shattered from the force of her grip, and the shards were born on a fierce whirlwind all around her as a wild flush of magic left her body, filling the entire level of the fortress with the silvery golden glow…

A star- no, a golden burst of power the equivalent of a dozen supernovas filled the fortress, engulfing the Eye of Sauron, at the very peek of his own castle, with the pure light. He roared in pain that the purity brought him, and throughout the land his minions hissed in pain as he transferred his agony to them to lessen the damage to himself. It did no good, and he roared in rage as he sensed that his daughter was no longer weak…

The light faded, but the star of purity on the map of life remained.

When she opened her eyes, Serenity smiled. Her eyes were completely silver, flecked with gold. She looked older, somehow. Serenity grinned.

Celenithil had awoken.

She'd done it! She'd transformed!

And, somehow, she felt the affects of her decaying body frozen, paused in time. As long as she didn't detransform, she had all the time in the world. 

Smiling with gleefully smug satisfaction, she looked around her, and gasped with delight. The halls were as they had been all those years ago… The stone walls were washed with white paint, gold and yellow and rose pink drapes hung everywhere. The floor was scrubbed clean, a long red velvet carpet running down the corridor. Tapestries depicting goddesses and gods and heroes, along with everyday people and scenic images of both Moon and Earth graced the walls. Sunshine poured in through the slits of windows.

Celenithil took her time, exploring the place of her birth. She found the ballroom, where the reception of her parent's wedding had been held. She found the wedding chamber, where she had been conceived. She found the kitchens, found a window that looked out to where the stables had once been. She found the library, and ran her fingers over the books on the tables, the ones that had never been put away for the Queen had loved those books so.

She found the art room, a painting only half finished, a painting of a rosy-cheeked, golden haired babe on a bed of rose petals with sunlight caressing her face. It was a painting of herself, when she'd been not even a year old. There, beside the painting, was a bassinette filled with dried rose petals. It was where she had laid, sleeping, while her mother had worked on the painting.

Celenithil found the room that was to be her room, when she became of age. She saw the bolts of satins and silks on the bed, the folded comforter and the embroidery waiting to be sewn into the drapes and bedspread, all there and waiting for her to grow up and tell them what she wanted her room to look like.

She found the treasury, filled with mountains of gold and jewels. This was probably the one thing that wasn't a memory-illusion, these mounds of riches. Celenithil didn't care for any of it, and left before she'd barely glanced at it all.

The room she found next was the one that made the Lunarian warrior shut her eyes with suppressed pain. She forced them open, forced herself to look at the room where the world's fate had been sealed. Where Sauron had forced the Queen –whom then had been but a Princess- Selenity to give up her mother's locket, the locket that the Ring would be forged from.

Celenithil touched the smaller locket at her throat. She'd never bothered to wonder why her father had spared some of the Moongold to make a locket; she'd always known why, so she'd never bothered to ponder it. A Lunarian was a powerful being. To control one, _and_ an object made of Moongold were the traits of a powerful being indeed. Evil, vile, but powerful. What his plan had been was as obvious to her as the fact that she was no longer mortal, in this form.

As much as it disgusted her, it remained true that Sauron had planned to raise her as his own, guide her in the path of evil, have her become like him. And, eventually, take her as his wife and merge her power with his.

Celenithil banished these thoughts with a shake of her head and turned to looking at the room around her once more.

The room was bright and cheery, full of memories, good and bad. A canopy bed, to the far right, wasn't as large and foreboding as some of the other beds. It was a comfortable size, piled with many cushions, as was the window seat directly in front of Celenithil. To her left was the vanity, back in the corner was the door to an adjoining dressing room, if Celenithil remembered correctly.

She went to the vanity, running her fingers over the silver mirror an comb and brush… Her mother had sat there…brushing her hair…so many times…

Weariness overcame the warrior, then; her forceful transformation had demanded a toll of her body, for all she was no longer in danger of dying, and that price had come to call. Knowing that her senses would alert her should any evil approach, she went to the bed, and laid down on it.

She smelled a scent, and some part of her somehow recognized that it was her mother's. Whether it was a memory or instinctual didn't matter; she cried to smell it once again, nonetheless. And she let the tears flow, even though she knew Sauron was watching. If he thought he could use these particular tears against her, she was wrong. To taunt her about her mother would only give her strength, because her mother was part of the reason she hated him so much, she, who everyone thought was incapable of hating.

So let him mock her. His time would come. She would make it so. And Serenity always kept her promises.

Always.

And so she slept, letting the tears slid off her flawless face as she dreamed of a time when her promises didn't carry the weight of the world.

They were resting, before making another teleportation jump –transporting eight people at once with only four Senshi was taxing, and only their new, advanced forms allowed them to do it at all- when Frodo discovered it. Panic gripped him, until, just like the other unnatural things the Ring tended to grant its bearers, he knew it was safe. Not in Sauron's hands, but safe. How he knew this, he didn't want to think about. He supposed it could be some trick of the Ring to keep him from seeking it, but somehow he knew it wasn't…

While Frodo was wondering when he should tell them, how he could tell them, and should he even tell them at all when a voice spoke up from the person beside him.

"She'll be dead by the time we get there."

It was Uranus who spoke, with a tone that made Frodo's throat tighten, his heart grow heavy with sorrow for the golden haired goddess...

Across from him, Saturn gripped her Glaive, holding back tears. Never had she heard the woman speak like this, her voice…not hardly even a human voice anymore.

They all knew it. Even if they managed to make it to Mordor, by way of these stop-and-go-then-rest-and-go-again jumps before Sauron had his way with their Princess, they had only a day, two at most, before Serena's body would begin to deteriorate.

"How could we have let this happen?" Mercury whispered.

"We were supposed to be safe in your woods!" Mars snarled at Legolas, who only glared. The act was startling. None of the Senshi had ever seen him glare at anyone before. The act was unsettling in its intensity.

"Until you can think rationally, without your grief and fear for your princess getting in the way, keep your tongue behind your teeth," Aragorn advised. "We are all disheartened. Let that not divide us."

"At least she did not yet hold the Ring," Gimli said. "Then Sauron would have it within his grasp."

Frodo swallowed.

"I'm not so sure she doesn't have it," he said at last, bringing himself to speak. All eyes turned to him. Looking at no one, he pulled the chain out from under his shirt.

The Ring was gone.

Mercury walked up to Frodo, flipped out her Mercury data computer, and scanned the chain. From the residue signals that the little computer found, the navy blue eyed girl felt her face drain of any color.

"It was a transportation spell of some sort," she said softly, her throat tight. "The magic that did the deed was similar to Serenity's, only…" she swallowed. "Only much, much more powerful."

"But…there is no one stronger than Serenity, not when she is at her full strength," Mars pointed out. Mercury's eyes went dark.

"There is now," she said. "And whoever he is, he has the Ring."

There was silence for a moment.

"Then let us hope he is not a friend of Sauron's," Boromir finally broke the silence.

"And if he is, then all the more we should hasten to Mordor!" Gimli roared, and snatched two of the girls' hands and linked them together, then grabbed Saturn's hand. "Let's go already!"

A circle was formed, lights flashed, and the Senshi, along with Frodo, Sam, Boromir, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, disappeared.

When Celenithil awoke, she knew the illusion had vanished. She sat up, and saw the room as it truly looked; dark, drab, gray. The cushions were torn and stained, strewn about and chewed through by all manner of nasty vermin. The silk of the canopy bed blew in a light breeze that was bitterly cold through the open window. The mirror over the vanity was cracked, shattered, and the reflective shards that remained were covered in dust. The hand mirror was on the floor, the handle broken off, so violently had it been thrown.

She saddened, but the feeling was soon forgotten when she felt it.

She turned, a slight, wry grin on her face as she came about to see Sauron himself. But no longer in the shape of that ever all seeing eye wreathed in flame and shadows. No, instead, a man stood there. He was wispy, transparent, but a man nonetheless. Suddenly, Serenity realized she was looking at the face of her father. The face of the man that had murdered her grandmother in order to infuse her power in the molten lava, allowing him access to a lower level of he power, through the lava. The face of the man that had created the Orcs. The face of the man that taken from her mother the golden locket. The face of the man that had taken that locket and melted it, and from that molten Moongold had created The One Ring and the Golden Locket that was now over Celenithil's heart.

"Father." Her voice was beyond the voice of the woman that defied Sauron when the vile being had tried to take her in her dreams. It was the voice of a Queen who knew her power.

"Beloved daughter of mine," Sauron's smile was as charming as ever, Celenithil remembered from her mother's memories. His eyes…don't look directly at his eyes, she vaguely felt the tidbit of Selenity deep inside her mind warn her. It was how he had forced her to marry him without complaint, forced her to love him, forced her to obey him, forced him to give up the Locket.

"I see my token of affection for you found its way to you after all," his voice was pleasant. As much an illusion as that body was, as the whole, unbroken hand mirror had been, Celenithil knew.

"Who are you?" Celenithil asked. Sauron raised an eyebrow.

"You know very good and well who I am, daughter," he said placidly as he walked towards her, smiling with all the grace of the world.

"You know what I mean. You are not human, you are not maiar, you are beyond evil, yet you understand things of goodness. What are you?"

"I'm your father."

"That is no answer," Celenithil replied. This was going nowhere…

"I'd forgotten what this room looked like," he said casually before she could continue her inquiry. "Looks a mite smaller than I remember…" He glanced at the bed and smiled. "You slept there," he said, jerking his head to the bed. "Your mother refused to put you in a nursery, in the care of other maids. You two were never apart. She would never even let me hold you out of her sight. She was so proud of you."

Celenithil's fists tightened. _Stop it!_ She wanted to yell. _You_ _never knew my mother! At all! How dare you speak of her!_

"Despite what many believe," he said, leaning against one of the four posts of the canopy bed. "I did have a bit of a soft spot for your mother. She was beautiful, and so trusting, yet at the same time so very fiery…all that fire hidden within such a gentle demeanor. I had hoped…" He shrugged. "But no. Her mother, your grandmother, had taught her too well, had too much influence on her even after death." He smiled, and suddenly Celenithil could see every ounce of evil he possessed in that smile…

And it made her tremble.

"But you," he said. "You I have hope for. You come from a hopeless future. A future where one is more likely to ignore an old lady crossing a road than help her. Where disease and hatred and thieving run rapid. You know the taste of greed and pain. Of hunger and sickness and mortal cruelty."

Celenithil said nothing, and his smile faltered slightly as he felt no change in her soul, no twinge of curiosity, no inkling of doubt in herself. Then he realized that this was because he couldn't feel her soul at all. For the first time, the being behind that 'all seeing eye wreathed in flame' discovered something he could _not_ see, something he could not peer into. His own daughter's soul was beyond his sight. This would be difficult, he realized.

_(**A/N:** For the following conversation about to take place, I again I ask you all to please remember, this is an **alternate universe** fic, so I will be twisting things the way I like them. If I were to keep this pin-straight in line with Tolkein, this really wouldn't be my story, now would it? Not to mention not as interesting, since you would be able to predict every event.  **-Makura**)_

"Let me tell you something," he said, pushing away from the post. "My father was an Istari. A maiar, like your friend Gandalf. He ascended to the White with astonishing speed. But it wasn't enough. He wanted more. He was told there was nothing more. He refused to believe this, and kept looking for a way to gain even more power, convinced that there was a level beyond the White. That was when Chaos came to him."

"Chaos." Celenithil repeated. Her blood ran cold. _God, no…_ She breathed in her mind.

"Yes, Chaos. I never saw him, but my father, whenever he came back from meeting with him was shaken. So I know this being must be of some impressiveness, for my father was not someone to be easily shaken. You could send all the armies of the world against him if you wanted and he would only laugh in your face. So, as I've said, I knew this Chaos to be quite…impressive, to say the least. You've seen him, I gather?"

"I defeated him." Celenithil stated plainly. "He came to destroy me, for his fear of my growing power, and I defeated him."

This Sauron was not expecting. Even he could not see into the future with much accuracy. Suddenly he had another grain of salt to add to the pile of grains of worry building up. But that worry died down soon enough. He was far more powerful than his father could have ever hoped to have been. And he had the advantage of knowing the woman that stood before him. She was the mirror image of her mother...

He forgot to look in her eyes.

"Come," he said, holding out his hand. "I want to show you something." Celenithil walked right past him, pausing at the door to step aside slightly.

"Then lead the way," she said placidly. She was shaking inside… But her voice was eerily…emotionless. Yet at the same time it seemed to hold every emotion there was. It was in that voice that Sauron glimpsed what he was truly up against. He strode past her, leading the way through the maze of corridors and staircases, climbing upwards and upwards.

They said nothing the entire way, but Celenithil knew where they were going.

When at last they emerged into open air, and Celenithil was barely able to withhold a gasp. Inside herself, she trembled at what she saw. But outwardly, Celenithil stood tall, narrowing her eyes at the huge creature made entirely of flame and shadow, suspended between two pikes arching up from the very, very top of the tower. Like the eye of a needle, with the top half of the eye sheared off. 

Celenithil's lips quirked as she connected the dots for a somewhat amusing synopsis; Sauron's _eye_, by something resembling the bottom half of the _eye_ of the needle. Needle, tower. Laughingly coordinated. A single speck of laughingly pitiful amusement admists all this potent evil…

Celenithil realized that Sauron's ghost of a man-form was gone. The eye tilted, staring straight down at her. Celenithil's knees wobbled. Firming her resolve, she squared her shoulders, locked her knees, clenched her fists, and glared up at him with all her might. She, like Frodo, had felt what it was like to have that eye not only on you but on your soul as well. Yet Celenithil felt nothing. As she realized, suddenly that Sauron could not peer into the depths of her soul as he had been able to when she had been Serena or Serenity, she smiled up at him, a smile that was mocking in its sincerity.

Filled with new confidence at this discovery, she turned, and surveyed the tortured land. Her throat constricted at the sight. How her mother would have wept if she had seen this… She had loved his land…and its people…

Fires erupted everywhere. There were no trees, only stone and ash and bogs and marshes. She saw the great marsh lake, and with an inner eyesight, saw the thousands that lay, preserved, beneath the toxic water. Elves and men. She, unlike Sauron, felt the tiniest spark of light within those bodies. Not strong enough to ever be revived, at least not anytime soon, but alive their souls were.

In the far distance, Celenithil spied a glowing mass of evil and fire and smoke and storms swirling around a tower that rivaled Barad-dur.

Isengarde.

She closed her eyes, and reached out… She smiled. She felt Saruman there. She also felt Gandalf. They had a score to settle; she would not interfere.

"I fail to see what purpose you showing me this has, father," Celenithil told the great eye, not looking at him, but her statement was directed at him even without the address, and he knew it.

"If you show me this to try and show me your might, you only succeed in showing me your weakness." She turned, without explaining what she meant, and went back down the stairs. She felt oddly…at peace with all of this. Somehow, someway, she knew everything would be all ri-

Pain, fire, molten lava, shadows, evil, agony, agony, agony… It surrounded her, originating from a whip of fire and shadow that lashed around her ankle and _yanked_ and _flung_-

And sent her flying, falling over the side of the tower. Down she plummeted as the whip released her to fall to her doom…

With a cry of utter rage and power, wings flared into existence on Celenithil's back. Wings that at first glance appeared to be faerie wings, then angel wings, confusing the eyes as to which one they were. But no matter; they did their job.

"Bad move, father," Celenithil snarled. Gone was the gentle Princess, gone was the sweet Serena, leaving behind the outraged Warrior.

A sword made entirely of crystal and silver and stone appeared in her hand- the Moon Sword, only now with vines of crystal wrapped around the hilt and around the blade just under the hilt.

With the barest of pushes against the air, Celenithil soared upwards. The Eye followed her, and she felt his glee at the fact that the battle had finally begun.

Celenithil grinned ferally. Let him be gleeful. It was the last emotion other than pain and despair he would ever feel…

With a cry, Celenithil exploded into an array of light with all the power and majesty of the cosmos. Her sword held aloft, the Locket opened, the Silver Crystal formed over her heart, Celenithil merged with the power, _became_ the power, the power that was still growing, growing, mounting, mounting, doubling, doubling…

Sauron withered in agony at the purity of the light that nipped at the edges of his shadow and fiery form. He retaliated, a flurry of wild dark power swirling around him, flushing outwards with a massive explosion that swept across the entire land of Mordor. Every grain of dirt and sand in Middle-Earth felt his might and rage and trembled, while every star and planet and nebulae in the danced around Celenithil's power and purity, singing to her, cheering her on…

Sides had been chosen, and the Battle had begun.

**_To Be Continued…_**

First off… Aaaaaai!!! BIG thanks to **Kousagi Celen**!!!! *hugglez* *tears* I haven't gotten such a sweet review in a long time… *bawls* Thank you!!!!

Next… Whoa… Ok, peoples, I am SO glad I decided to rewrite this chapter…it turned out SO much better than the first time I wrote it… Well, I hope this chapter was as exhilarating for all of you as it was for me. This is the chapter leading up to the climatic ending, after all, so it needs to be smashing. 

I was originally planning on having the Companionship that went to save Serenity just ride full out for Mordor, but after seeing TTT (*drools* Legolas….*drools more*) I thought better of it. It would make more sense for them to just teleport, in my mind. Also, I get the impression that the distance between Mirkwood and Barad-dur (--- finally figured out how to spell it!!! Pip pip for me! ^^) is a bit too far to ride within the space of a day, even full out.

Also, several people have asked about a sequel. I'm still debating with myself on that. Don't hold your breath, but there is a possibility.

Okies, now for the….

**_Announcements:_**

**__**

**_I MADE MY GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

****

*points up to 'chapter sixteen' and then to number of reviews* *beams* 650!!! *does backflips* WAHOOOOOOOOIEEEE!!!!!! I'm sooooo happy!!!!!!! *tears in eyes* *sniffles* I feel so loved… And not a single flame! Well, not really. Only one that I would count as a flame but I don't count it because it had some valid points, rather than just 'THIS STORY STINKS' get my drift? ^^ But that's off subject…

**__**

The wonderful and talented Chrissy, the first person to respond to my plea for artists, has completed and sent to me a wonderful image of Celenithil. I have taken the liberty of setting up a website to host The Will of the Ring and my other fanfiction and SM/LotR crossovers (of which I assure you there will be many) and any future art. The address is: http://www.geocities.com/makura_koneko/ 

Please, everyone, be forewarned that the website is far from finished. But do enjoy what I have up so far!

Also, after I post the Epilogue, I will post a temporary chapter containing three summaries of the three stories I am considering writing next. You will all get to vote on my next SM/LotR crossover. So watch for it!

Until next time, ja ne!

**Hope Makes the Universe Shine,**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	19. Chapter Seventeen: Two Paths Before Thee

**The Will of the Ring**

**Chapter Seventeen**

_by Makura Koneko_

Big Thanks to:

**palkitty** _(wonderful idea, but I've got something else in mind. *wink*)_

**Silver^Pegasus **

**PrincessLolly** _(hee hee, I agree, let romance rule!)_

**eyes **

**depth** _(yes, I know, my version of Middle-Earth's history is about as inaccurate as you can get. ^^ But, as I've been saying this is AU, and if I were to stay pinstraight with Tolkien, it would be rather…bland, since you would already know basically what was going to happen. Thanks for not flaming! Glad you enjoyed!)_

**PrincessLesse **_(Again, wonderful ideas, but as I told palkitty, I've got something else planned. *smiles mysteriously*)_

**The Informer** _(hee hee…)_

**Callisto Star** _(*sigh* Yes, I know it's silver is 'celeb' but 'celenithil' to me sounded oh so much better than 'celebithil' soooo… *sweatdrop* I cheated. -.-')_

**sapphireskies** _(*grins* That's my fav part too.)_

**Kakyuu2000**

**LaraCroft2004**

**lyndzi **_(*grins* I know what you mean. There sure are a lot more LotR/SM crossovers now than when I first posted mine. ^^)_

**solarmistress17 **

**Taria **

**AngelQueen **

**Missie DuCaine** _(*hugglezhugglezhugglez* You're the best!!!!!!! It beautiful!!!! I sent you an e-mail asking this, but I'll ask again here; can I put the pic on my website???)_

**Hikari no Tenshi**

**Sakura-Star-Magick** _(^^ I can honestly say that's one of the greatest reviews I've gotten to date. *blush*)_

**Empress**

**I tyn anjel I**

**Lilaclight** _(*bows* Your praise honors me, seriously. It's wonderful to know for sure of someone that will be interested in keeping tabs on my work. ^^)_

**Authoress*Crest**

**Cheska **  _(*looks sheepish* Sorry…didn't mean to get your hopes up… I really must find a way to fix my own bloopers without getting people all excited about a nonexistent new chapter… *sigh*)_

**little lost girl** _(*grins* Glad to help!)_

**CrazyJ Girl**

**Saniel**   _(*bows to standing ovation* You're too kind!)_

**Adyen  ** _(heh heh… Sauron started it, but I can guarantee Celenithil will finish it. *wink*)_

**Silver Dragonfly**

**Spooky Fyre** _(*hugglez* Yay! You're back! I missed your reviews!)_

**Cassie-bear01** _(*blush* As a matter of fact, I do have several novels I'm working on… It's my dream to be published. ^^)_

**Samantha **

**Meio-chan**

**Reiko **

**Ray of Hope** _(*laugh* Here's your chapter! ^^)_

**Tabbes**

**Sunshine Fia**

**Chibi Arwen**

**Uranus Knight**

**_Evil began the battle, but light will finish the war…_**

Gandalf was sure that some other work was at hand, helping him speed his way to Isengarde. There was no other explanation for the quickness in which he reached his destination. He did not tire, nor did his mount. He did not hunger, nor did he thirst. He had but one goal, and one goal alone.

Saruman.

His time on Earth was at an end…

Gandalf was not blood-thirsty, it was simply matter of necessity. Of course, there was also the matter of daring to harm so pure a being as Serenity to address, as well… 

It was at the crumbling gates of Isengarde that Gandalf left Shadowfax, and marched onto the grounds of Isengarde. Halfway there he threw out a fleeting summons, and a small, moth-like creature fluttered to him and landed on his shoulder. Still staring with rolling fury in his eyes at the doors to the tower itself ahead of him, not breaking stride, Gandalf murmured to it softly, not even looking at it.

It fluttered off, when he was done, to deliver his message, his request to an old friend.

The doors bashed open before the Gray Wizard even reached them. His solid footsteps climbing up the steps to the door resounded loudly, as did his footfalls on the black marble floor inside. He knew exactly where he was going. He knew exactly where the traitor was.

Saruman was waiting for him, when Gandalf reached the very top of Isengarde, the platform where the White Wizard had tried a final time to persuade Gandalf to join forces with him with Sauron.

"You should have joined with me when you had the chance, old friend," Saruman's voice dripped putrid nastiness.

"And be pulled into the same madness you have?" Gandalf replied. "I think not, 'old friend.'"

"You always did hold your morals too high for your own good, Stormcrow." Saruman sneered.

"And you always held them too low." Gandalf adjusted his grip on his staff. "For if one holds dear the same things a snake does, then one becomes a snake- a bellycrawler, a vermin who deserves to have their head crushed!"

At the word 'crushed' Gandalf thrust his staff outward, towards Saruman. The white-clad wizard was thrown back, his head smashed against one of the 'walls' that rose up past the platform.

Saruman retaliated almost immediately, and Gandalf felt his feet yanked out from under him by an invisible hand. On his way down, though, he swiped his staff in a half arch. An invisible cord lashed out from the top of it, swiping Saruman's feet out from under him much the same way Saruman had with Gandalf. Both wizards got to their feet, but Saruman was slightly quicker, and he raised his staff, his eyes wild. He shouted something incomprehensible, and a lightning bolt danced down from the sky to strike Gandalf.

With a grunt, he felt to his knees once more, the electricity coursing through his veins, killing him as it circled around in his body, wearing down his flesh… To remedy this problem, he pointed his staff at Saruman, and directed the electric power through the staff and out of his own body to lance across the platform and strike Saruman. The wizard was thrown back against another one of the walls, barely missing going over the edge.

The lightning bolt flashed out of existence, and Gandalf stood as Saruman regained his senses, his hair a mass of frizzled and burnt, crisp threads, chunks of his skin burnt to black and yellow, oozing puss and blood; the stench was awful.

Gandalf's hair and skin, however, remained unscathed; when one's hobby was working with fire and electricity and fireworks, one learned to put certain permanent safeguards on one's body. Those safeguards did nothing for his taxed strength, though.

Gandalf felt someone's eye watching him… But not Sauron's. With a flash of insight he saw Serenity, yet she was different, in a different form. Her name wafted to him like a cool breeze in the summer; Silver Moon. Celenithil. He felt her retreat, and knew she would not interfere.

_"I wish you luck, butterfly,"_ he let the thought flow to her. If she got it, he didn't bother to find out; Saruman leaped forward, bringing his staff downward harshly across Gandalf's, which the other wizard rose just in time. Was he out of magic, that he resorted to physical fighting? No, he was up to something, Gandalf knew as he threw the other man's weight off him and shoved him away with a burst of power. Saruman went sprawling.

_"He's gotten stronger,"_ Saruman realized. _"And he hasn't even realized it…"_ Maybe he could use that, Saruman thought. Gandalf, Saruman believed, still 'knew' that he, Gandalf, wasn't as powerful as Saruman. 

Saurman had always thought the final blow came best when seasoned with intimidation…

And so, Saruman rose slowly to his feet, his eyes wild and snake-like, his face bloodied, a result of the gaping wound on the right side of his forehead. Most of his hair was gone, the hair that had remained after his 'frying' had been so crisp it had all snapped away with the force of the wind that had begun to sweep around them.

Gandalf felt the power rising around Saruman as the man drew himself up, staff held in both hands. The white stone atop the staff began to glow, as the Wizard who bore it began to call out in a deep, rolling voice words that Gandalf sensed had not been spoken in thousands of years. Before Gandalf could piece together what exact spell his former friend was about to throw at him, it was too late.

Time seemed to slow around him, but his thoughts retained their normal speed, somehow. Gandalf knew what was to come, and as the swirling mass of bitter green energy was launched from the top of Saruman's staff to arch upwards and then down towards him, hungering to strike him much like the lightning had, an idea came to the old man who was not a man.

He latched onto the idea, and even though he knew it would kill him, he also knew it would kill Saruman as well. And that would make it worth the price. Saruman could not live. But _he_ was expendable, Gandalf thought of himself. He had done his part. He was content to go out having taken one of the world's greatest evils with him.

The sour, bitterly bright green energy fell on him as if it had been a suspended mass of boiling water. It rushed all around him, only to splash back up and strike him again. He cried out in agony, barely keeping his own mind, the pain was so great. The power shoved through his veins and brain and body, bursting blood vessels, destroying nerve endings, slashing through his body.

With great strength, as time resumed its normal flow, Gandalf raised his staff, and with a wordless cry of power, rage, and farewell all rolled into one, he pointed it to the evil white wizard. The Shard of the Moon Pillar, the little Flame of Anor, flared brighter than the sun. Gandalf felt the green energy sucked out of his body, briefly contained within the shard alone before he pushed it out with his mind, and shoved it at Saruman. 

Saruman screamed as his own great spell consumed him. Weak from casting the very incantation that was now eating him alive, he could not fight it, and with a final curse to the man who now lay, dying, a few feet away, he was no more than a pile of dust that was quickly swept away to the winds of forgetful time.

The sound of Gandalf's own heartbeat echoing in his ears was deafening to him, without any other sound to focus on; he was too high up. Then he heard something…like the creaking of old wood about to give way…

Then there was a massive roar that Gandalf slowly, as his mind began to give way to the darkness that nipped at the edge of his consciousness, realized that it was the sound of a thousand rushing rivers; the great dam that held back the water that had once made the lands of Isengarde into a great lake had been unleashed. Gandalf smiled as he heard the triumphant howls of the Ents; they had come, had attacked in revenge for the trees they had seen murdered, just as he knew they would when they answered his summons to come to the edge of Fangorn. 

His smile widened as, very faintly, he heard the stars begin to sing their support for the Silver Moon warrior, as the Battle commenced, far away in Mordor.

"Good luck, butterfly," Gandalf managed to gasp out with his dying breath._ "Good luck…keep your promise, little light, keep your promises. Don't fail us now… Goodbye…"_

"Oh, no you don't, cousin of mine!" A voice commanded. "Your time is far from over, and I should know!"

A spark…a spark of light against the darkness that surrounded his mind…

"Wake up, cousin Gandalf. Wake up!" The voice was growing in insistence. It was not a voice used to being ignored. "I may not have many powers outside of Time, but one of them happens to be ensuring that people don't die _before_ their time, and so I'm only going to say this one more time, you stubborn old man! **_WAKE UP!_**"

Gandalf opened his eyes, and smiled when he saw where he was.

"No need to shout, Setsuna." He told her placidly as she scowled at him. He glanced down at himself, and raised an eyebrow. "Care to tell me why I am naked?"

For the briefest of moments, as the chosen champions of Purity and Evil stood at a face off, Celenithil wondered if perhaps this epic battle was over before it began, for Sauron made not a single move. It was as if he were frozen in time.

Then she felt it…a touch in the back of her mind. But it wasn't offensive. No, it was a notification. Sauron was telling her where he was. He knew that without physical form, Celenithil had a great advantage over him. Plus she had his Ring.

And so, floating high above the pits of the tower of Barad-dur, Celenithil closed her eyes, and kept her promise and dived in after her father, directly into the fabric of space and time, the one place where it did not matter how much physical substance one had, or how much power or magic. The one place in existence where who the winner would be was determined by mere will…

No sooner had Celenithil fully slipped into this higher plane that the force of Sauron's evil slammed into her. With a cry that was mental and spiritual rather than a sound, she shoved back. Alarm filled her soul as she fully felt what Sauron's spirit felt like. It was so maddeningly familiar…she'd seen Sauron in this form, before. She _had_, she was positive…but where?

She had no more time to dwell on the frightening familiarity as 'sparks flew' so to speak as the two wills collided again, and again, and again, neither giving way in the slightest. Sauron roared his rage, his madness vibrating Celenithil's very soul. Celenithil braced herself, and with all her might thrust a mass of seething starlight his way. He dodged it, letting it pass right through him. He returned the motion in kind, and Celenithil was blown back, unable to dodge in time.

Celenithil, within her heart, wove together a song she'd known since childhood, a melody her mother had hummed to her from the cradle, the melody that the locket that rested over her physical heart played for her now, spilling out its song for all to hear…

Celenithil twined this melody around her soul, and shot it towards her father. The creature's will wavered, convulsed with agony of that love and tender-memory filled melody.

But Sauron used that pain and turned it to strength, whirling around and spewing sickness and evil and despair to coat her soul and drench her spirit in hopelessness and darkness.

Celenithil felt her grip on the spiritual plane slipping… With a growl of determination, she gathered to her every loving memory she could recall under such a perilous circumstance. She gathered them to her, milking every pure emotion from them that she could, drawing on the strength those pure emotions and loving memories fed to her. Her soul flashed, both visually and even to one's mind and spiritual eye. Under the cover of this light that pierced all dimensions, she launched every ounce of that pure emotion at him. Not power or energy, _emotion_. Specifically love, the sensations of dancing under the sunlight, of eating icecream on a summers day, of laughing with friends at a sleep over, of being held and cared for, of being needed…

Celenithil gasped as she slipped and slid and finally 'plopped' back into her own body rather roughly. Her eyes snapped open in time to see Sauron's form begin to filter back into the physical world, as if an invisible pitcher was pouring fire and ash and shadow into an invisible goblet suspended between the two peeks of the sheared-off half needle eye.

In a flash of insight, Celenithil realized this was her chance; trap her father in the higher plane, then destroy the Ring, thus making him unable to ever return to the physical world.

Celenithil's sword fizzled out of existence in her hand, then back into existence in its sheath at her side. Quicker than an normal eye could follow, she unhooked her bow from her back, snatched a silver and gold fletched arrow, and nocked her bow. Whispering words of a long forgotten language, that of Sylvan, the tongue of the Lunarians, the Moon-Elves, she charged the arrow with threads of white power. With deadly precision she shot, straight into the center of the still forming Sauron, what would have been the heart- if he'd had one.

The fire faded, the shadow lightened, and Sauron hissed and withered, his form, what little he had, wavered, then stabilized. Celenithil, barely batting an eye, nocked another purity, magic-charged arrow. She whispered it to it as she settled it into place, aiming. She murmured sweet memories in a lilting tone. Then she shot.

Again, Sauron wavered, but it was not enough, again, and again Celenithil shot, but still he kept pouring back into the real realm.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Celenithil spied another volley of arrows that were not hers join her in the quest to cause Sauron enough damage so that he would be trapped in the higher plane.

Celenithil glanced down, and gasped. "Legolas?"

They had thought they would come just close enough to the tower to see who went in and out, but not close enough to be spotted; they had teleported right past the Black Gates hours ago. Now all they needed was for Mercury to use her computer to pinpoint Serenity's exact location within Barad-dur, and they could teleport right to her, then right out of Mordor. That had been the plan. At least, that had been the plan before Legolas's Elvin eyes glanced up and, to his shock, had spotted a figure he'd know anywhere emerge from a doorway to the very peek of the tower of Barad-dur.

They'd all watched in horror as the so called father of their Princess tossed her over the side…watched as their princess surpassed the level of a mere mortal princess, and unknowingly ascended to something, much, much more.

Then both entities had frozen, and Sauron's form had faded until he was barely visible. Silence had reigned in Middle-Earth. For hours.

Hours turned into days, and those days droned on. The Companionship had yet to be found, as all of Mordor watched the silent battle taking place above. They were forced to make camp, but then…

Out of nowhere, the transparent form of the Eye of Sauron began to solidify, and the glow around Celenithil had intensified tenfold, and she hadn't even seemed to notice as, with rapid speed, she'd begun firing arrows that were surrounded with a silver light so thick it looked as if she were blasting shooting stars at her father rather than arrows.

This was when The Companionship had made their way into the palace, determined to help. They'd gotten split up, when the tower itself had begun to sway as if made of leaves and paper. The massive room they'd been in had crumbled, and Legolas's shouts had produced no answer.

Forced to look for them later, Legolas had found a balcony from which he had a clear view of both Celenithil and Sauron's quickly solidifying form. Arrow after arrow he shot, before Celenithil noticed him. The look she gave him, of utter shock, was rather amusing, even under the circumstances.

It became apparent after a few more shots from both parties that it wasn't working, least not as quickly as they needed to. For every arrow each of them shot, Sauron took two more steps towards falling completely back into the real realm.

Then the separate cries rang out, and a blinding furry of evil-searing flame flushed over the still forming Eye.

"Raye!" Celenithil cried down to the red clad form standing where she had been standing when Sauron had tossed her over the side. Mars, hands held out before her, feet planted firmly apart, looked up at her hovering Princess, no, Queen- no, even that didn't seem right… Mars winked at her.

"What are you doing here?" Celenithil demanded as she shot another arrow.

"Fighting fire with fire!" Mars quipped. With a grin, she launched another barrage of attacks that blinded all who looked directly at the fire-surrounded beauty. Even then, Boromir, whom had somehow found his way to the same balcony that Legolas stood on, could not look away. Legolas elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a pointed look. The human warrior shook himself, then retrieved the crossbow from his back, and shot. Not as accurate as Legolas or Celenithil, he still held his own as soon razor-sharp, crystal-filled winds joined the arrows and fiery attacks.

Then came the massively huge assault of black ribbons that reeked of potent death and silence gave them another edge.

At last an unimaginable cold mist began to rain down on the Eye, and chunks of the flame and shadow froze and sheared off, only to fade into a smoke that blew away with the crystal-filled winds.

Legolas glanced up at Celenithil. There were tears in her eyes as she glanced at each of her Senshi, Mercury beside and a little below her, borne on misty, watery faerie wings, Uranus held aloft by the winds that were her trademark. Saturn stood on a bridge that led out from the main tower to a smaller watch tower, not all that far below Legolas on the other side of the tower itself.

A raging storm that had whipped up, lashing them all with wind and rain and sleet that slashed at clothing and flesh alike. A rivulet of blood ran down Celenithil's cheek. She grunted as she shot another arrow charged with her power. She was tiring… She shook herself. She had to keep going!

Then….at long last…was it possible? As Celenithil watched closer, her heart soared. At long last, Sauron's form began to fade more than it was solidifying.

"Now, Serena!" Legolas cried. Not Serenity, not Celenithil, not princess, but Serena he called her. Celenithil's eyes met his across the mentionable distance between them, and for a brief moment it was as if there was no distance between them at all. Legolas smiled.

_"I love you,"_ he mouthed to her. Celenithil smile a smile filled with joy, her eyes filled with tears that made her silver orbs shine like crystals. She nodded ever so slightly, then she blinked, dispelling the tears to run down her face as a look of serene peacefulness that was sweet enough to grant the entire world a bit of the serenity that was her name.

As Legolas watched, her bow faded out of her grasp only to reappear on her back. She hovered there, her wings flapping ever so gently on occasion. Her eyes closed slowly as, just as slowly, she raised her hands to loosely cup something in front of her, her fingers curled so gently, so delicately around the tiniest pinprick of light that began to sparkle into existence between her cupped hands.

Steadily, the tiny star grew, and solidified into a thousand-faceted, round crystal the size of a newborn's fist. It shone with an unearthly glow and an awe-inspiringly pure silver light.

"Koneko, do it now!" Uranus cried, winds and crystals pouring from her hands to continuously smash into the fading beast.

A burst of power so great, so far beyond mortal comprehension exploded around the slight girl, centering from four places; her crescent moon symbol, her heart, the Crystal, and the Locket; four, the universal number that represented power.

The sphere of light that surrounded Celenithil grew, and grew, and grew… With a final flash, an invisible wind flared upwards around her, Celenithil's head snapped back, her eyes flashing open and her mouth opening wide. Beams of solid silver light shot upwards from her eyes and mouth, and outwards, all around her from her fingertips and bare toes, from the end of every hair, out of every pore her pour flowed out of her. It spread on the air like warm milk, like liquid moonlight. Bigger and bigger the sphere became, spreading and spreading…

The Crystal hovered just in front of the Locket, and somehow the Sword of the Moon found its way into her hands.

The light touched Sauron…

Engulfed him…

Suddenly Celenithil wasn't where she had been. Borne on wings woven of stardust and moonbeams, she flared forward, and thrust the blade of the Moon Sword deep into the heart of the Eye. The silver light that seemed to surround everything all at once brightened with an abruptness too quick to be called even the quickest of flashes, screams were heard…and then…

Then it was over.

The light was just…gone. It didn't fade, it didn't fizzle out of existence, it was simply gone.

As was Sauron along with it.

Not just the eye, but Sauron himself. Everyone could feel it. The air was cleaner, easier to breathe. A shadow seemed to be lifted from the land as the sky cleared, and for the first time in thirty thousand years, pure moonlight and starshine shone down on the land of Mordor. Orcs that had been milling around burst into flame, or into stone, or crumbled on the spot. Others ran for the covers of shadows, but even the shadows were no longer havens for them.

Celenithil groaned, her arms shaking with the effort of merely lowering them. Her wings gave one last feeble flap as she lost her balance in midair, and she was sent plummeting.

"Serena!" Legolas cried.

"Butterfly!" Gimli roared, glaring up at the Senshi. "One of you do something, already!"

But Uranus was already at work. "Hold on, Koneko!" With a thrust of her hand, Uranus sent a whirling windstorm down to swirl around the girl and softly halt her descent. As quickly as she could, Mercury made her way down to where the goddess lay prone in midair. Senshi strength aiding her, she gathered her friend into her arms and bore her up to the balcony where Legolas and Boromir had been joined by Aragorn and the Hobbits.

Upon setting foot on the flagstones, Celenithil was pulled from her arms. Legolas now cradled her, smoothing her hair away from her face, brushing her cheeks, feeling her forehead and checking her for any physical injuries.

"I think she's just extremely exhausted," Mercury told him softly.

"Ami…" Mercury turned, only to find herself engulfed and surrounded by Frodo's arms. Smiling, tears in her eyes, she returned the embrace.

"Next time you go flying off, let me know so I have a chance to knock you unconscious so I can keep you safe," Frodo told her, partially in jest, partially serious. Mercury laughed into his shirt, and just snuggled closer.

"You couldn't have thrown your fireballs from down here, could you?" Boromir growled as he came up to Mars when she fluttered down on fiery dragon wings. "No, you had to go right to the source of the danger and stand right in front of it in order to fight!" She smirked at him, and he scowled.

"Of course," she grinned. He looked at her, saw the thrill in her eyes, saw how she was allowing herself to enjoy a fight well fought, now that everyone was safe. With a growl, he took one large stride forward, dropping his crossbow, and took her into his arms and kissed her fiercely. He pulled away and stared into her surprised eyes.

"You have no idea how much I admire you, dragonfly," he told her softly, his eyes just as fiercely serious as they had been a moment before. Mars' eyes widened. Boromir opened his mouth to say more, but found his speech rather impaired, seeing as Mars was currently crushing them with her own a kiss that was nothing short of possessive.

"Am I the only one that has the urge to say, 'aaaawww…?'" Pippin piped up. Beside him, Merry and Sam grinned as all three exchanged glances.

"Nope," Merry told him. Eyes sparkling, together they chimed, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwww…."

  
"Shuddup," Mars pulled away long enough to snarl before yanking Boromir's face back down to hers. He stifled a laugh, and held her closer.

Slightly off to the side on the huge balcony, Uranus and Gimli hid laughter and chuckles, their eyes dancing with merry amusement. Then their eyes landed on Celenithil in a kneeling Legolas's arms.

"C'mon, _nim'loki_," he told her softly, brushing strand of hair off her forehead and pressing a tender kiss to her skin just under her wound. Saturn came up then, and knelt before him. Gently she let the pads of her fingertips dance over the small wound, and they watched as the torn flesh knitted itself back together, without even a hint of a scar remaining.

"She just needs rest," Saturn told the Mirkwood prince. "Sending a demon infused with the power of Chaos to another dimension is not an easy task."

"She sent Sauron to another dimension?" Aragorn asked sharply. Saturn looked up, darkness in her eyes as she rose to face him.

"Sauron was not wise, but he was sly and clever," she said. "He knitted the very fabric of his being to Life itself, so that he literally cannot die. He is more immortal than a god. No power in existence could completely destroy him. He has too much of Chaos in him, and to destroy too much of Chaos is to destroy Chaos itself, and to destroy Chaos is to destroy All. We cannot have Purity without Chaos. Without one, there is no distinguishing the other."

"So you're telling me that Sauron still lives and she just sent him to terrorize another world?" Gimli's eyes blazed.

"No," a voice whispered hoarsely. Within the circle of Legolas's arms, Celenithil stirred and opened her eyes. She looked at Gimli with compassion and friendship in her eyes. "I sent him to the Netherplane."

"The what?" Sam asked.

Uranus chuckled. "Hell, Mr. Gamgee," the blonde woman laughed. "She sent Sauron to hell."

"The one place even my father feared," Celenithil's lips curved into a smile that bordered on cruel. Laughter filled the air in Mordor for what was a long, long time. Even the air that bore the sound seemed shocked to hear it once more.

Everyone gasped suddenly as, on Celenithil's finger, the One Ring flashed, glowed softly. For the briefest of moments, the fiery script in the language of Mordor, eerily similar to the Lunarian written language, flowed into view. Then it faded, replaced with words in true Lunarian script that made Mercury and Celenithil gasp together.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked, looking at the stunned expressions on the Senshi's faces.  
  


"Serena?" Mars breathed. "Is it…?"

"Yeah," Serena choked. "Yeah, it is…"

"Would someone mind explaining?" Gimli asked, slightly annoyed.

Slowly, Mercury knelt beside Serena and took her hand in hers, and examined the script. They looked at each other, their eyes meeting in shock.

Her voice filled with disbelief, Celenithil began to read, translating her native tongue into Common.

_"'When this Ring shows its light..._

_The Moonheart follows the will of she who would become Empress of All._

_Take the Moonheart of Gold, Silver Moon,_

_And release the great power your heart.'"_

"Those words…" Uranus gaped. "Those are almost the exact same words inscribed on the Moon Sword!" Her eyes flitted to the aforementioned Sword that, somehow, was now belted to Celenithil's side.

But there was more.

_"'Hold true to the service of your promises,_

_And restore the peace of your kingdom,_

_Before it was ever even lost.'" _Celenithil finished. 

"That can't mean what I think it means," Saturn breathed.

"Anything is possible," Mercury said, her mind racing.

Celenithil shook herself. It was unreal…it was so cryptic yet at the same to so blatantly obvious. Even as Celenithil thought this, she could dissipate the feeling of something…more that she seemed to be forgetting. Like when one went on a trip and was frantically going over their mental checklist at the last minute, positive they'd forgotten something.

"Hey," Mars said suddenly. "Does this mean…?"

"What?" Uranus asked as the raven haired woman trailed off. Mars grinned.

"Mercury scan the Ring," Mars told the navy eyed Senshi. "I don't sense any evil in it anymore. Try scanning it," she added in way of explanation.

Then, just as Mercury was pulling out her data computer to comply with Mars' request, Celenithil remembered.

With a gasp, she lurched to her feet. Without a word, her soul filled with panic, Celenithil stumbled to the door and burst through, darting and scrambling down the corridor, ignoring shouts from her friends. As she ran, magic followed in her wake, coating the walls, coating everything she passed and restoring it to what it had intended to look like.

Celenithil gave no notice. Oh, God, how could she not have realized it sooner? Her father had not become the most feared creature in all the world for being careless. She faintly remembered, from the memories her mother had given her, that one of the things Prince Sauron of Middle-Earth had been famed for was always, _always_ having a plan B. Several plan B's, in fact.

Oh, God…

She may very well have condemned all for her carelessness…

Celenithil burst with a flaring swirl of silver power, borne of her wild panic, into the huge round room she had first awoken in, he one with the Seeing Stone in the center of the room, one of the Palantir.

She also saw the four creatures that stood around it, also saw the flaming lidless eye that shone out of the Seeing Stone, murmuring orders to the creatures.

Celenithil's gaze fixed on the creature, the youma farthest to the right, the one that was walking towards a great, swirling portal to its right… Her breath caught in her throat, and all at once the day her life had changed forever came rushing back to her…

_"Serena! Look out!"_

_All Serena remembered was the barest touch of an evil presence in the back of her mind, that was all the warning she got before something heavy and warm slammed into her from behind. She gasped, ready to whirl around and destroy whoever had attacked her- Only to discover it was __Darien__… she twisted around under him, staring up into his wide eyes._

_"D-Darien…" she breathed._

_"L-love you," he managed to gasp out before holding her to him with one arm, then rolling over and with the very last of his strength, sending a blast of power at the three-eyed youma with the red star on its forehead. It screamed, and disintegrated…_

_Serena gasped as she discovered that so was __Darien__…_

_"No!" She screamed! "NONONONONONO!!!!!!!"_

_"Keep your promise, Serenity," __Darien__ breathed as the light of life in his eyes faded, as Serena lay him down on the grass. She didn't see or notice her Senshi running up. He touched her cheek. "Be happy. No matter what the cost. The cost may be less than you think. Be happy. Keep your promise to me!"_

_Then he was gone._

Celenithil's heart froze as she stared at the demon that, at the same time the other two did, spotted her and turned.

Three eyes.

Red star on its forehead.

Ye it was alive…

Celenithil's eye shifted, and she gazed through the portal that the demon was going to go through.

The two of the other three creatures, youmas, rushed at her, but they didn't get any closer to her than the edge of the silver glow that surrounded her; they cried out in agony and burst into dust the moment they touched it.

Celenithil didn't notice, didn't notice the three-eyed demon stare at her in terror, didn't notice her father screaming his rage through the Seeing Stone that was his link from Hell to Earth.

Celenithil only stared…

At Darien…

And herself…

Her sixteen-year-old self, through the portal.

She was looking at her past, the present's future. She was looking at herself and Darien walking through the park, laughing and talking and exchanging glances that betrayed they had been very much in love.

Suddenly she understood. _She_ had caused her first beloved's death, by coming back in time. As a plan B, her father had arranged a way for him to contact his minions and send one of them to the future to kill her… Only Darien would intervene…

With an internal cry of agony, Celenithil tore her gaze away from the portal and stared at the demon. Her fists clenched, power roared in a furious silver storm all around her. She took one purposeful step forward, determined to kill the beast that would come to kill Darien and ruin her life-

She stopped as somehow, someway, she spotted the fourth demon, the fourth youma. Silver eyes clashed with slanted red ones without pupils. The decidedly female formed seemed to be made of jagged shadow…

But those eyes…

Celenithil had been inside those eyes, once, a long time ago. She'd know them anywhere…

Celenithil gasped, and her heart shattered with shock.

"Metallia…"

**_To Be Continued…_**

**Note Added 1/24/03:** _It was brought to my attention (or rather, memory) by a review after posting this chapter a few days ago that some of the people reading this story aren't entirely familiar with the manga version of Sailor Moon, and thus would not know who 'Metallia' is. In short, remember that big smoky, bubbly mass that Beryl went to after the final episode in season one? That mass that flooded over her and possessed her and made her grow, really, really big? That's Metallia. They cut her out for the most part out of the NA dub. In the manga, Metallia was the real bad guy, and Beryl was little more than her Generals. The only difference was she was slightly more powerful, bit more of a main character, and was present in the plot throughout the entire first season, wheras the Generals were only present for sometimes as short a time as only a few acts. Also, in the manga, it was Venus who killed Beryl, running her through with the Moon Sword (which, in the anime, doesn't show up till the Stars Season. At least, I liked to think that sword that Chibi Chibi gives Princess Serenity to kill Galaxia is the Tsuki Katana(Moon Sword). But I suppose that is a matter of opinion.)_

_Hope that clears up some things! -**Makura**_

First off (--- I seem to say that a lot…) I would like people to note that…

**_I MADE MY GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

****

*points up to 'chapter sixteen' and then to number of reviews* *beams* 694!!! *does backflips* WAHOOOOOOOOIEEEE!!!!!! I'm sooooo happy!!!!!!! *tears in eyes* *sniffles* I feel so loved… And not a single flame! Well, not really. Only one that I would count as a flame but I don't count it because it had some valid points, rather than just 'THIS STORY STINKS' get my drift? ^^ But that's off subject…

**__**

*tears* I can't believe this story is coming to an end… Readers, I'm sorry, and yet the same time proud, to announce that **_Chapter Eighteen will be the end_**, people. I'm actually rather surprised. I had expected this story to last quite a bit longer, well into twenty chapters at least. But alas, stories often take on a mind of their own, ne?

As for the ending itself, I don't think it's anything any of you will be expecting. All I will say is yes, ALL the senshi _do_ end up together. I'd never split up the Senshi!!!! Just remember what I said a few chapters back… '_I believe the Senshi are there to ultimate protect and _follow_ their Princess, and I plan to uphold that belief in my story._'

Ai! I watched the Appendixes that come with the extended version of the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring DVD and…and…and… *wails* I wish I could have been a part of it all!!! They all got to be such great friends, and they had so much fun, and…*sniffles* They're all so funny! Always playing jokes on each other…heh heh…  *pouts* I wish I coulda been there… *sigh* At least I can dream…

Well, I hope you've all enjoyed the story thus far (even tho we're not quite done… ^^). Until next time, all! Ja ne! Don't forget to look out for an epilogue!

**_Hope Makes the Universe Shine,_**

_Makura Koneko_

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	20. Chapter Eighteen: Finale

The Will of the Ring  
  
Chapter Eighteen by Makura Koneko  
  
"Metallia." Celenithil breathed. The creature recoiled at the sound of her name coming from the lips of so pure a creature. How did this ethereal being know her name, it wondered? It was a young demon, only newly formed by the Dark Lord, his purpose for creating her being the sole purpose of going up the Moon Kingdom to find a child her master had named to her 'Serenity.' That single goal, that single goal to destroy this girl, Serenity, was and would be fixed in her very being for as long as she was in existence.  
  
"Serena!" A voice called. Celenithil turned, and saw Legolas, followed by the rest of the Companionship, burst into the room.  
  
At that moment, it seemed like the world exploded.  
  
Chunks of the floor fell away, giving way to waves of air that seemed to be walls of boiling stones, so hot it was. A flood of demons and monsters poured into the room. The Senshi and mortal warriors were overcome.  
  
Celenithil continued to stare.star at the creature that would destroy her world, stare at the demon that was creating the portal that would take it to where her life would be further destroyed.  
  
Could do nothing but stare at the evil presence within the Palantir that seemed to laugh at her.  
  
"Princess!" Saturn yelled, fending off a four armed demoness. She glanced around; every member of the Companionship was fighting its way towards the comatose warrioress, but at the same time were barely keeping themselves alive.  
  
It was then that Celenithil's entire body, every single one of her senses, honed in on the sound of a single rock shifting.a single rock that happened to be right under Legolas's foot.  
  
The rock slipped, and with a the Elven prince fell, his fingers barely snagging the edge of what remained of the floor, just in time before fell to his doom.  
  
"Legolas!" Celenithil screamed, and at once her entire body moved into action, even as the elf moved to swing itself back up, effortlessly, back onto solid ground- at least, it would have all been effortless and quick, were it not for the two demons that crawled up from the depths of the volcano to grab his ankle and yank him back down.  
  
Celenithil moved towards him, ignoring the fact that there was a gaping rift between them that spewed boiling bits of lava upwards into the air. Without realizing it, Celenithil's Silver Crystal had solidified over her heart, right in front of the Moongold Locket.  
  
All but forgotten by the Princess whose thoughts were now bent on smiting the demons that dare harm the elf she had come to call beloved, Metallia's eyes were drawn to the stone like a bee to sweet nectar. She licked her lips hungrily as she feasted her eyes on all that power locked into so small a gem.  
  
As if the eyes of so evil a creature on something so close to her heart was an alarm bell going off right next to her ear, Celenithil whipped her head to the right and spotted the creature staring at the Silver Crystal. She knew, with one glance at the way the demon was looking at the trinket, that the desire to own the Silver Crystal, as well as the purpose to kill her, would forever be imbedded in Metallia's very existence.  
  
Another cry, and Celenithil's attention snapped back to Legolas.  
  
A whizzing of power, behind her; Celenithil turned to see the three-eyed demon feeding another burst of power into the portal, trying to get it large enough to slip through as war raged around them.  
  
Legolas.slipping.the Senshi unable to help.  
  
Metallia.escaping.  
  
The Portal.and Darien..about to die.  
  
She had no time.not enough time to stop all three.  
  
Not enough time.  
  
Time. Not enough time!  
  
Her heart cried out, in different ways, for each. Agony at the though of loosing Legolas, hatred for Metallia, and breathlessness at the realized that she could save Darien. There had been a time in her life when she had wanted nothing more.  
  
But now.  
  
Legolas.  
  
In her indecision, she had gripped the golden locket over her heart; Moonheart, Celenithil now knew it was called. What else could that legend have meant? What else could that inscription on the Ring had mea-  
  
Celenithil froze, and with her, it seemed like time itself.  
  
The Ring. The inscription.  
  
".restore the peace of your kingdom.before it was ever even lost."  
  
"There will come a time when you will make a choice, Serenity." How many people had told her that throughout her entire life.?  
  
"Serena, listen to me!" .Darien. "Listen to me! There will come a time when you will have to make a choice, love. Promise me, promise me that when that time comes you will make the choice that will make you happy, regardless of what happens to me! Promise me."  
  
Serena knew that if she saved Darien, none of this would ever happen.somehow, she knew. If Darien lived and she married him, and they erected Crystal Tokyo, she would be encased in that quartz tomb at the same time the Ring tried to bring her over. She wouldn't be brought to Middle- Earth, because of that Crystal Tomb. Mankind would start all over, once Sauron had destroyed everything and moved on to another planet.  
  
"Promise me!" Darien's voice echoed in her mind. ".Make the choice that will make you happy, regardless of what happens to me. Promise.!"  
  
"I promised." A tear ran down Celenithil's cheek as she looked through the portal... Through the portal at the smiling face of a raven haired, sapphire eyed man and a shining, beautiful young girl.a young girl.a young girl that was no long her.  
  
She shut her eyes tight and suddenly Celenithil understood everything.  
  
Galadriel, Darien, Setsuna, even Sauron -though he had not known it- they hadn't meant her promise to come kill Sauron when they had told her how important her keeping her promises was. Time seemed to freeze around her as Celenithil realized.  
  
Her eyes snapped open, and with that motion, time resumed.  
  
"I promised," she said. Her eyes flashed silver. Her voice rumbled among the heavens. "And I always keep my promises! I promised!"  
  
Throwing one last look to the demon who slipped through the portal, looking past the demon into the portal, she could have sworn she saw the image of Darien look up.at her.he nodded ever so slightly.and smiled.  
  
With a grim smile on her face and a song of power and hope in her heart, Celenithil flared her wings and shot forward, over the battle. With a shink the Moon Sword flared into existence in her grip. She swooped down, her eyes hard, and with one swift movement, sliced Metallia through the heart. The demon didn't even have a chance to scream as she disintegrated.  
  
That was when Celenithil felt the first shift in the fabric of time.  
  
The second shift came when Celenithil glanced to where the portal that the three-eye demon had slipped through closed, and she lost her final chance to save Darien, and instead flew down to grab Legolas's hand just as his grip faltered. At the same time she pointed the Moon Sword at the two demons that had tried to drag him down and shot twin bursts of power at them. They exploded.  
  
Up she flew, up and over the fight. She set Legolas down, but he gripped her hand before she could fly off once more.  
  
Tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, like a pixie she bent down in mid air and kissed him full on the mouth, cupping his face with one hand.  
  
"I love you," she told him, and they exchanged a brief smile during which Legolas gave her hand a squeeze, then released her to fly off, wings flapping furiously.  
  
Her target was clear. The Seeing Stone was fixed in her mind.  
  
At last she knew what it was she had been missing, what she had been forgetting.  
  
She remembered her thoughts, when she had first thought how familiar this particular Palantir looked.  
  
It was Wiseman's crystal ball.  
  
Her mind made the connection instantly, complete with a comic mental 'click.' Crystal Ball. Wiseman. Wiseman's power; centered on Crystal Ball. Destroy Crystal Ball.  
  
No Wiseman.  
  
That was when Celenithil felt the third, and final, shift in the tapestry that was the fabric of time and history -or in this case, future.  
  
But it was when Celenithil raised her sword, the Moon Sword, high overhead, it was when she cried out with all her heart, it was when her moon sigil, the Silver Crystal over her heart, and the Moonheart all flared with life itself, it was when she brought that sword down.  
  
It was when that Seeing Stone shattered into dust, and the image of Sauron's red eye was banished from Earth forever that the shifts were made solid and permanent.  
  
It was when Celenithil made her Choice that the Universe changed forever.  
  
One by one, the demons around her vanished with various cries of pain and agony, the source of their existence, their Master, Sauron, gone, they had nothing to draw on, and thus ceased to exist.  
  
Sauron was defeated.  
  
Gandalf's question was barely out of his mouth before the misty plane of the Time Gates began to shake violently. Without warning, the Gates burst open. Power, both evil and good, whirled around them. Gandalf was shoved back. He barely regained his balance in time to see Pluto whirl her Staff, and with a cry, force them shut with mere will alone. They closed, but barely, and the effort left Pluto gasping.  
  
"You're naked, old man," Pluto gasped in response to his earlier question. "Because only one robe is now worthy to be worn by you, and you alone can don it, no one else can put it on you." She waved her hand weakly, still trying to regain her breath, and a shimmering white robe with silver etchings, along with his staff appeared before him. As he watched, the staff glowed. When the glow faded, it was now white, the top of which was carved into a hollow cage which housed the Flame of Anor inside.  
  
Gandalf reached out, took the robe, and put it on. He reached out to grip his staff, and the moment he did so, he felt power unlike anything else slip into his veins. The purity seared his blood, his flesh, shining out of the ends of his fingertips, his toes, his mouth, eyes, ears.  
  
When it faded, Gandalf's mass of dirty, tangled gray hair and beard now lay smooth and sleek down his back and down his front, flawlessly white.  
  
Before him, Pluto placed her right fist over her heart and bowed slightly.  
  
"The Guardian of Time salutes you, Gandalf the White." She stood, eyes twinkling. Gandalf stepped forward at the same time she did, and they embraced.  
  
"Five hundred and twenty-two years is too long a time to go between visits to one's only cousin, Setsuna," Gandalf told her, smiling. Pluto sighed.  
  
"When one is the guardian of time and space, my dear Gandalf, the vacation time is.less than satisfactory." She smiled, and Gandalf chuckled.  
  
"I knew you were the Guardian of Time, Setsuna, but you never told me you were one of these Sailor Senshi," he raised an admonishing eyebrow at her, taking in her sailor garb, now sensing the similarities between her power and that of the other girls. "It would have made a few things considerably easier if I had known."  
  
"Some things aren't meant to be easy," she said in her trademark cryptic tone. Gandalf shook his head.  
  
"True, true, true," he said. They had no more time for any more pleasantries, however, when the world around them began to shake and tremor awfully.  
  
Setsuna gasped, and wavered. Gandalf caught her arm, and steadied her. She was unable to convey thanks as a horrifying knowledge so great it terrified her slipped into her mind.  
  
"The Senshi." She gasped. "I have to get to them!"  
  
"What? Why?" Somehow Gandalf knew she didn't mean the Senshi in Middle- Earth. Setsuna fixed him with a gaze.  
  
"Serenity has made her Choice, and now we Senshi must make a choice whether or not to follow her," she told him. She turned, suddenly filled with new strength, and stepped into a swirling portal, Gandalf right behind her.  
  
Tokyo, Japan, the 21st Century  
  
It happened almost immediately after Raye, Haruka, Ami, and Hotaru disappeared in flurries of lights and sound and wind. Setsuna had disappeared along with them, so they had no one to turn to for answers to the question of why the Earth seemed to be tearing itself apart.  
  
Out of the apartment building they ran, the entire structure swaying as if it were made of nothing more than paper and straw. The wind was unbelievable- in fact it was hardly even wind. It was too strong to be mere air. It was almost physically solid, as it tried to sweep the three women up and away. They found trees and poles to cling to. Lita tried to shout something, but the wind shoved the words back down her throat. The other two women couldn't even hear her choking; the sounds around them were deafening.  
  
There was no doubt in Mina's mind that many of the humans around her were deaf, now, those that had found things to hold onto, anyway; those that hadn't were most likely dead. She thanked God Almighty that she wasn't human, and thus retained her hearing.at least she was pretty sure she did. There was no way to be sure if the roaring in her head was the unimaginable noise or the terrifying vibration of the very Earth itself.  
  
She, Lita, and Michiru figured out quickly that verbal communication was no good. Neither were their communicators; they only got static as the earth under their very feet trembled. They reverted to hand signals that they'd worked out a long time ago, to be used in such a case. But even this was perilous; they could only spare one hand from their clinging to whatever they had found to cling to for mere moments. And the wind was so strong they could barely afford to keep their eyes open at all. They all felt their strength begin to fade.  
  
It was no big hassle to figure out what Mina meant when she made the hand- equivalent sign of 'Senshi.' Wordless, they all retrieved their own wands from their own sub-space pockets.  
  
They shouted at the top of their lungs, but no one even heard a whisper of the words. It didn't seem to matter, however; in flurries of breathtaking bursts of light and ribbons and sparkling stars, whirlwinds and roars of the ocean, and explosions of lighting and thunder, three Senshi stood where three collage student girls had been previously. The wind was as strong as ever, but now they could bear it. They still gripped various things that were still in place, but they could stand on their own two feet, heads bent into the wind, standing their ground firmly.  
  
It was Jupiter who noticed first. Their outfits were completely different. No more revealing short skirts and girlish sailor-themed ensembles.  
  
"What the hell.?" Jupiter muttered. Venus and Neptune hadn't seemed to notice yet, and Jupiter, with a mental growl, decided it wasn't important enough to mention, now. They had other things on their mind.  
  
"What's causing this?" Neptune's voice was carried by magic, not air, and thus they could hear her.  
  
"If we knew that we'd be finding the SOB who's doing this, not standing here like lawn gnomes!" Jupiter snapped.  
  
"Stop it, both of you!" Venus ordered. There was no hint of the bubbly blonde; only the Senshi Commander of the Silver Millennium Alliance Silver Moon Military.  
  
"It's the Princess!" A voice shouted. They glanced over their shoulders in surprise.  
  
"Pluto!" Jupiter cried. The woman was bent into the wind, also in a new ensemble, struggling against the wind to reach them, using her Staff -which was still the same- to gain purchase in cracks in the ground. Beside her was a tall old man clad completely in white, also using his staff to creep his way forward, towards them.  
  
When Pluto was close enough, Venus reached back a hand to her. Pluto took it, and pulled herself close enough to the pole Venus was gripping to take ahold of it. Jupiter did likewise with the old man, surprised at the strength which he gripped her hand and pulled himself forward.  
  
"My thanks," he conveyed in a nod.  
  
"What about the Princess?!" Neptune cried; introductions of the newcomer would have to wait.  
  
"She has made her Choice!" Pluto shouted. "And thus the Stars have begun a New Dance! A new Dance for History! A paradox is being created!"  
  
"Would you speak in a language we can understand for once?" Jupiter shouted in annoyance. She didn't notice the slight amusement in the old man's eyes. As he listened to the conversation, his eyes wandered to the exotic and odd things all around him. So this was the world -albeit falling apart world- that Serena had come from.  
  
Pluto's own eyes were dark.  
  
"Time and history has been rewritten." She said flatly. She did not shout. Her voice was oddly calm. Yet they heard every word. "The past has changed, and thus so has the future. As I said, a paradox is being created. This dimension is being pulled in two directions, caught between the two different timelines. We have to choose which timeline this dimension will merge with, else it will be shredded and destroyed."  
  
"Us?" Venus echoed. "How?"  
  
"We have to jump." Pluto said, her eyes deadly serious. "We protect this world, therefore we are tied to it. If we jump to one of the timelines, we'll pull this dimension with us, and the two -this one and the whichever one we jump to- will merge and become one."  
  
"So we'd be like a tugboat pulling a cosmos-sized ocean liner?" Jupiter summed. Pluto's lips quirked, and she nodded.  
  
"Good God," Neptune breathed. "How do we choose?"  
  
Venus's eyes were stormy and hard.  
  
"We follow Serenity," she said. She looked to Pluto. "You lead the jump," she said. "Lead us to the timeline that Serenity chose. That's what happened, isn't it? She had to choose between keeping things the way they were meant to be, and taking a leap of faith to see what would become if something did or didn't happen, right?"  
  
Pluto nodded.  
  
"Then we trust the Princess," Jupiter said, agreeing with Venus without hesitation. "Let's follow Serena's choice." Out of the corner of her eye she saw approval alight in the old man's face.  
  
"Pluto, take us to the timeline Serenity created, please," Neptune's smile was both sad and excited. What alternate world awaited them?  
  
"No, better yet," Venus said suddenly. Her eyes sparkled with tears of both joy and regret- regret at leaving this world forever. "Take us to Serena, Setsuna," she asked softly, her voice heard nonetheless. "Lead us back in time, as well as over to the new timeline, so that we may watch and nurture this alternate world with her."  
  
Pluto bowed her head slightly. The wind was all but forgotten. None of them had eyes that were unmarred by tears as Pluto raised her staff, and shouted words that had not been spoken since the dawn of creation itself. One by one, Venus, Neptune, and Jupiter called out with all their might, linking their power together so that when Pluto leaped out of reality and into the fabric of time and space, they followed. First the old man, then Neptune leaped, then Jupiter following after her.  
  
Venus held back for a brief moment, and glanced over her shoulder to the warping buildings and roads and trees.  
  
She had protected this world, longer than any of the others. Now that it would cease to exist, would it all be for nothing? No, she realized. Ami's words came back to her, words from a long time ago, 'As a doctor, one of the most rewarding things is to heal someone. But it is even more rewarding to keep the sickness from happening all together in the first place.'  
  
So much was wrong with this world. Now, she realized, she had a chance to keep so many things from ever happening at all.  
  
Venus smiled, as tears ran down her face. As she felt her body pulled out of the tapestry of life that made up the very existence of the world she had grown up in, she looked down the street. Tears rolled down her cheek as she spotted Andrew, clinging to a lamppost, tears in his eyes and a smile on his face.  
  
"Go," he mouthed. And tell Serena goodbye for me, his eyes seemed to say. Her heart being torn in two, Venus nodded, her tears clouding her vision as she blew a kiss to him, and to the world.  
  
"Goodbye," she whispered softly, then turned to the portal. She closed her eyes, and made a leap of faith.  
  
Barad-dur, Mordor, Middle-Earth, the 3rd Age  
  
Celenithil didn't know how long she stood there, staring at the top of the pedestal. She didn't know how long ago the final youma had been vanquished. She didn't know how much time had passed since she'd changed history.since she had changed the future, since she had changed the fate of the Silver Millennium Alliance.  
  
The Silver Millennium, she realized with shock. With Metallia dead.it would never fall. At least not for a long, long time.and certainly not at the hands of Beryl, not anymore.  
  
Suddenly Celenithil's eyes widened as the world around her began to shake uncontrollably. She felt Barad-dur begin to sway and waver.  
  
"We must get out of this place!" Gimli roared.  
  
"No crap, Sherlock!" Uranus growled. Stumbling and scrambling, Celenithil and everyone else made it to each other.  
  
"We don't have enough strength for a teleport!" Mars yelled over the awful noise.  
  
"We don't have a choice!" Saturn shouted back. Celenithil nodded.  
  
"I'll do what I can," she promised, referring to the amount of power she could give; the previous two battles were beginning to catch up with her. In response to the look Mars gave her, she said, "At least with a teleport we have a chance. If we stay here we're sure to die!"  
  
"She is right!" Aragorn skipped out of the way of a falling stalagmite. Without further hesitation, they -the Senshi- joined hands around the Companionship.  
  
One by one, they called out their own respective powers, and each flashed with a color of the cosmos. Celenithil was the last, her wings flared out to try and shield them all from some of the debris that was being flung around as the very walls around them warped and twisted and ran like wet paint.  
  
Celenithil spared the briefest of thoughts of what this, the odd warping of the walls around them, could mean.or was it that their teleport was working after all.? But that hope was dashed when their power-glows around them faded, and Mercury fell to her knees, gasping. Saturn stumbled, but Gimli caught her and steadied her as Frodo helped Mercury up.  
  
"It's no use, we don't have enough power left among us!" Haruka kicked a rock nearby  
  
Aragorn and Legolas exchanged glances, as did Merry and Pippin.  
  
"Then let us stay behind!" The two pairs both cried at once. They regarded each other for a moment, then grinned.  
  
"Absolutely not!" Celenithil said, her voice bordering on a snarling command. "We're all getting out of here! All of us!"  
  
"We don't have enough power, Meatball head!" Mars snapped. "How are we gonna get out of here?"  
  
No one had an answer.  
  
Somewhere in the Fabric of Space and Time  
  
Venus felt the shift of their direction, and she threw Pluto, beside her, whom was holding out her glowing staff before her with a deathly concentrating expression on her face.  
  
"Why are we changing course?" Neptune shouted from behind them; she had sensed it as well.  
  
"A small detour," Pluto managed to grunt out.  
  
"We figured that out!" Jupiter growled.  
  
"I believe my cousin plans to try to make up for all the times her being required to keep silent about the events of time cost lives," the old man with the incredibly white hair and clothing spoke up for the first time. Venus glanced back at him, and their eyes met. She nodded slightly, a tight smile on her lips. He returned the nod, eyes twinkling with acknowledgement for the young leader.  
  
"He is close," Pluto told the girls. "Just hold up."  
  
"But we need to get to Serenity!" Jupiter argued.  
  
"She's right," Venus sided with Jupiter, raising a hand to shield her face as she arched her back over a chunk of debris that they flew by.  
  
Pluto was clearly torn by indescision for a moment.  
  
"We are close enough to our original destination," The old white man told the burgundy eyed woman. She glanced over her shoulder and to her left at him. He smiled gently, even though his face was squinted against the wind. "I will lead them," he promised. "Do what you must, cousin, then follow as speedily as you are able."  
  
Only a bit more hesitation, and Pluto nodded. She twist her body so that her back was to the wind, on leg out straight the other bent, placing her foot near the knee of her other leg, to keep her balance. She reached out her staff, and the man raised his own to meet it. A bit of the purple glow that surrounded Pluto's staff transferred itself to his.  
  
With a glance to the three Senshi and a nod to Venus, Pluto shot off ahead.  
  
"Follow me!" He told them, suddenly knowing instinctively how to find the time and place of his home, his destination. Venus, filled with the hereditary instinct of her people, motioned for Jupiter and Neptune to do so as she shoved herself forward until she and the old man were parallel, hurtling through time itself.  
  
Barad-dur, Mordor, Middle-Earth, the 3rd Age  
  
Legolas was filled with frustration. Never before had he felt himself in so helpless a situation. He glanced at Celenithil. She at least must live. Perhaps there was enough energy left among them to at least get her to safety.  
  
The Elven Prince opened his mouth to say as much-  
  
There was the briefest of faintest abrupt flashes, which they all barely had time to register before a voice, filled with light and laughter, asked in an impish voice, "Perhaps we can help?"  
  
Celenithil whirled.  
  
"V-Venus?" Celenithil gasped, spotting the owner of the voice. The words barely left her mouth in time before she was engulfed by a tall brunette clad in green and soft fawn brown.  
  
"Ju-Jupiter!" Celenithil breathed, shoving away from her captor just long enough to get a good look at the woman's shining face to assure herself it was indeed Sailor Ju- no, not 'Sailor.' Like the other Senshi, as Celenithil looked at Jupiter, Venus, Neptune -whom was embracing Uranus; they all had different fukus that were nothing like the original, traditional getup.  
  
"Who might you all be?" Sam asked, eyes wide.  
  
"Gandalf!" Frodo exclaimed. Then he registered, along with the rest of the Companionship, the Wizard's attire.  
  
"I will explain at a later date," Gandalf told him, ruffling his hair.  
  
"Who are you, anyway?" Venus asked the tall, white haired man.  
  
The rumbling increased, and a huge chunk of the ceiling caved in and crashed down into the lava on the other side of the room, which was more of a crumbling cavern, now.  
  
"Could we please save introductions until we have tea and crumpets to go with?" Uranus snapped sarcastically. The short, slender blonde with a cream, gold-embroidered bow in her hair stuck her tongue out at the fellow blonde before the Senshi slipped into a circle.  
  
Again, the cries of power were shouted out, and this time Celenithil gasped as she felt power flow through her hands and spread to the others in the ring. Their powers overlapping and spilling into one another, a portal was opened, and they were sucked upwards into it, all of them, and with a flash they disappeared just as the ground where they had been standing only moments before crumbled down into the rolling sea of lava.  
  
Limbo  
  
When Pluto materialized, stumbling through the shaky opening, she was relieved to find exactly what she was looking for. She surveyed the thousands of people present, mostly men and elves.  
  
She was in one of the smaller pockets of the plane known as Limbo, and yet it was filled with the souls of those that had perished in the War of the Ring three thousand years ago, from the time where Serenity was.  
  
All eyes turned to her. Everyone knew who she was, without knowing how or why.  
  
"I have a favor to ask of all of you," Pluto said after taking a deep breath, standing tall. "Long ago you all fought and died to prevent the land you called Middle-Earth from being eaten by shadow and death. You succeeded. Middle-Earth was free-"  
  
Cheers arose.  
  
It had been torture, for these people, to be here, not knowing if their sacrifice was in vein.  
  
"What gift do we owe you, lady for bringing us this soothing knowledge?" A being that had once been a dark haired elf stepped forward.  
  
"You owe me nothing," Pluto said. "For my tale is not yet finished." Surprise ran through the masses of humans and elves. Taking advantage of the startled silence, she continued, telling the whole story- right from the beginning, starting with the marriage of Selenity to Sauron, all the way through Bilbo and Gollum, to the Ring's calling Serenity back through time, to the merging of the Fellowship into the Companionship, and at last of how the Senshi had been forced to merge the two alternate timelines.  
  
Many hardly grasped the concept of dimensions and time travel and magic as Pluto spoke of it, but needless to say the Elves had a better idea what she was talking about than most.  
  
"In this alternate timeline," Pluto began up again after taking in a silent, calming breath. This could either go very well or very badly. Thousands of lives rode upon the outcome. "Because things have changed, people from the original future will never even exist. I have come here," she said, swallowing. "To ask a great favor of you all."  
  
"Ask what you will," the elf before her said. She noted he neither promised anything nor did he not promising anything. Pluto nodded her thanks.  
  
"To be brief, I tell you now that on the slopes of Mount Doom, there is a huge, toxic marshland. Your bodies lay, still, in this water, the toxins preserving the corpses as if you were only asleep."  
  
Gasps, cries, expressions of startlement, and mere 'oh, isn't that nice?' filled the room.  
  
"Why do you tell us this?" A human stepped forward. Pluto instantly recognized him as Isildur's father, the one whose sword cut the Ring from the hand of Sauron. Tucking this bit of knowledge aside, Pluto continued.  
  
"Because, within each of your bodies, still, is a bit of life remaining. This is why none of you have been allowed to pass on. The tiniest bit of you all is still alive within your bodies. Not enough to ever bring any of you back to life, mind, but it is still there nonetheless. These pinpricks of life are like beacons, in their abnormality, on the tapestry of fate's design."  
  
"And what are we to do about it?" A voice shouted. Hundreds of voices of disgruntled agreements were cried out after him. Pluto felt a twinge within her. Best explain soon.  
  
"I ask you not to do anything about to the bits of life," Pluto told him. "This goes back to what I told you about there being thousands of lives in that old future that will never even come to exist, now. I want to save those lives."  
  
"How may we help?" The King's voice as kind, but still a king's even after all this time. She smiled at him. She got the feeling she and he would have become very, very good friends had the chance presented itself.  
  
Pluto took a deep breath before answering. "Those thousands of lives I speak of, they still exist. They are fading, but they are fading from the tapestry of life even as I speak. I cannot take them anywhere unless they already have a bit of themselves in the place I want to take them. Normally I would transport their physical bodies, and their spirits would follow-"  
  
"But there are too many of them, and they don't really even have bodies anymore," The elf summed up. Pluto nodded.  
  
"So you want us to let you use the life still left in our bodies in Middle- Earth as anchors for these thousands of 'lost souls.'"  
  
Again, Pluto nodded. "Exactly," she said. "Once it is done, those bits of life will have been used up by the process, and you will all be allowed to fully pass on."  
  
"How do we know that you are not some witch, come to trick us? That you will use this bit of life to eat what is left of our souls?" A man cried. "How do we know that where we are now is the place spirits pass on to, and you are only telling us that we have not yet fully passed on so that we might cooperate?"  
  
Scattered, but many, shouts of agreement and applause echoed this statement.  
  
Pluto drew herself up to her full height, and a wind that was frighteningly obviously of ethereal nature picked up around her, lifting the scarves that hung from her elbows and from around her waist, tinkling the little crystal tassles that hung from the bottom of the bikini like top that, the straps of which, crossed once before wrapping around her neck.  
  
The symbol of Pluto glowed brightly on her forehead.  
  
"I am the embodiment of Pluto, daughter of Chronos, Father of Time. I am the Guardian of the Timelines and Protector of the Tapestry of Life, servant to the Empress of Light, the Queen Selenity, and ward of Her Majesty, the Princess Serenity of the Moonheart, daughter of Sauron and Selenity, and cousin to Gandalf the White, known to many of you as Mithrandir the Wise!  
  
"I am no witch, human." Pluto turned her flashing burgundy orbs to the man that had spoken. There was now a clear space around him; no one dared be near the one whom was the focus of the rage of so great a being. "Least, not any witch you need fear, not unless you cross me! I have seen far more years than even any of you elves here can hope to imagine. Do not anger me! The life within those bodies is your own, and out of respect for that I came here to humbly ask a cosmic favor of you. Do not mock me! I am the one called Mother to the Goddess of Death, Saturn, herself! I say again, do not mock me!"  
  
The man fell to one knee, as a knight might fall before his queen.  
  
No words were needed beyond this, as Pluto's glow faded. Shaky, but sure of herself, she then looked into the eyes of the king.  
  
"Do you accept my request?" She inquired. "If yay, I will need all your help. I will help link you to the soul of one of the fading ones. You alone know the way back to your physical body. You will show them the light I speak of, I will instruct the fading one how to latch onto it, and the rest, leave up to me."  
  
The elf stepped forward.  
  
"Let me go first," he said. Pluto met his eyes. She glanced towards the king, and he nodded.  
  
"You will be doing this one by one?" The king inquired. Pluto nodded.  
  
"But once I have finished with one person, that person will have the knowledge to guide another." She told him.  
  
"Do we have time for so long and lengthly a task?" The man that had challenged Pluto not a moment before spoke up. Pluto felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. He reminded her Minako. Never knew when to keep quiet.  
  
"Do you not remember the words I so recently spoke to you, human?" Pluto turned coolly amused eyes on him, and he began to sweat anew. He nodded hesitantly.  
  
"Forgive me, Lady of Time," he mumbled, and backed away.  
  
"He spoke true, friends," Pluto told the elf and king. "Time is not an issue here, not with me. But still, I must ask now, do you accept?"  
  
The elf turned to his people.  
  
"Well, you heard the question. Do we accept this honor, to save the lives of thousands and preserve what we fought for so long ago?"  
  
Not a single elf remained silent during the roar of agreement that rose up.  
  
"And what say you, Men of Middle-Earth?" The king turned to his own. The noise of triumph was, if possible, even louder. The two turned back to Pluto, smiling.  
  
"You have your answer," the elf told her. She smiled, relief flooding he body. She stopped herself before she let that relief show; it wasn't over yet.  
  
"Thank you," she told them with feeling. She turned to the elf, and held out her hand. "Shall we?" He took her hand, smiling kindly.  
  
"We shall," he said, his grip on he hand tightening. "But before we do, may I ask your name?"  
  
'I' not 'we.'  
  
Pluto met his eyes, and flushed.  
  
"Setsuna," she told him.  
  
He returned the smile. "Aridwil," he responded. Pluto smiled and nodded.  
  
Then, as they closed their eyes and Pluto guided him into the subconscious state needed, she found herself fleetingly wondering if perhaps it was possible for her to find love after all.  
  
The Black Gate, Mordor, Middle-Earth, the 3rd Age  
  
"All right!" Venus jumped into the air, throwing triumphant air punches before landing back down and displaying an energized 'V is for Victory' sign with her hands, accompanied by an enthusiastic "Heee-Yaaa!!!!"  
  
"Senshi rule, uh-huh, uh-huh, oh yeah, uh-huh. Uh-huh, Senshi rule, oh yeah." Jupiter danced around, slapped Venus a high five, then turned to exchange a second one with a tired looking, but no less exuberant-smile- displaying Mars.  
  
"If they're celebrating now, wait till we tell them what's happened to us these past few weeks." Mars thought with a grin. She looked to Celenithil, whom was apparently thinking the same thing, as they exchanged knowing looks and laughing winks.  
  
"I can't believe we did it," Saturn breathed, staring at the crumbling, burning ruins of Barad-dur. She, along with the Companionship, Celenithil, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto surveyed the land of Mordor from the archers- walk that ran along the top of the gates that were no longer black. No, they were now literally golden. Out before them lay a lush land, with rolling green hills and sparkling lakes. Up from the ashes of the crumbling fortress, there rose a misty, wispy, faint, transparent image of a golden tower. With one final explosion, Barad-dur sank into the melted earth below, and with a flash the Golden Tower solidified in its place.  
  
And, somehow, no one was surprised in the slightest.  
  
"The Golden Kingdom," Pluto murmured. "Some things simply must exist, somehow, some way, for reasons unknown, no matter what reality."  
  
Suddenly, Venus, behind them, froze mid-victory dance and gasped.  
  
"Look!" The blonde cried. Everyone turned and gaped.  
  
Across hundreds of thousands of acres of land, as far as the eye could see, there was no longer a putrid, toxic marshland, but lush meadow fields. And covering those fields were hundreds of thousands of men and elves, looking at themselves as if they had come back from the dead.  
  
Which, the Companionship and Celenithil -the only ones who recognized the armor of the battle fought long ago- realized with utter shock, they had.  
  
But that wasn't even half of the reason for their total surprise.  
  
Standing beside each and every of the previously deceased men and elves was a man, woman, or child dressed in 21st century clothing.  
  
Most forward in the group, was a tall woman with long, flowing emerald hair clad in whispy, almost gypsy-like garment of flowing scarves of emerald and burgundy colors. Standing beside her was a tall, dark haired elf whom was laughing gaily.  
  
Celenithil beamed. "I thought I felt sparks of life within them," she said. "They'd been too small to ever hope to bring them back, but I guess the same power that is restoring the land also restored them."  
  
"I can't believe it," Mercury said, typing away on her data computer, scanning the entire masses.  
  
"What is it?" Gandalf asked. Mercury's eyes flitted to the White Wizard, then back to her data computer.  
  
"Is it what we think it is?" Mars asked. Mercury's eyes filled with tears, and she nodded.  
  
"Guys!" Mercury cried. "Serena, you mentioned bits of life left in those bodies? Pluto used those specs of life as anchors for the souls of those that, in this new future, would never even exist! And at the same time, she somehow brought back all the elves and men that died during the War of the Ring! Those that wanted to, anyways, I'm guessing."  
  
"Are you telling me we now have an army of zombies to beat?" Celenithil squeaked. She shook her head vigorously. "Uh-uh, I'm not doing any more fighting till I get a bath and a nap! A long nap!"  
  
But Mercury was grinning from ear to ear as she said, "No, they're alive as if they were never dead. That is, I suppose, because they were never truly dead in the first place."  
  
"Unbelievable." Neptune breathed, as a grand woman joined them on the wall after climbing a long flight of steps. She glanced to Pluto as she neared, whom was smiling gently.  
  
"Don't worry," The Warrior of Time said. "Only the ones that wanted to come back got dragged back. It was a subconscious thing, I suppose, since I didn't think this was possible so I never asked."  
  
"You didn't have to go to the Underworld to get their permission to use what was left of their lives as anchors, did you?" Saturn asked tentively.  
  
Pluto smiled gently. "No, only to Limbo."  
  
"Isn't that a game?" Celenithil asked distractedly. "Limbo? You know, with the pole? I haven't played that in a while-"  
  
"No more games!" Mars said firmly and with surprising haste. The four more recently arrived Senshi blinked in confusion as everyone laughed.  
  
"Long story, don't ask," Legolas asked, laughing, eyes sparkling.  
  
Venus and Jupiter exchanged looks, and then shrugged.  
  
"Ok, I get that the men and elves from the War of the Ring were brought back because they were never completely dead in the first place," Uranus said. "But where the hell did all these new people come from?" She growled. Pluto smiled.  
  
Venus snapped her fingers. "From the alternate future!" She cried. Pluto's smile widened, and Venus laughed and rushed to hug the woman. "You fox!" The blonde grinned. "I had a feeling it was something like this! Gandalf had hinted as much," she grinned at the elderly man.  
  
The blonde then turned to the group and quickly explained what had happened to the future. Since the future that they knew no longer existed because of Celenithil's choices, and a new future will take its stead, a lot of people that existed in the future they came from would never be born in this new future.  
  
"So rather than let them cease to ever even exist," Venus said, bouncing with excitement, eye shining. "Setsuna -am I right about this?- used the lives of those bodies down in the marshes as beacons, so to speak, ropes that could be used to tie into/onto the souls that were fading from existence here into the future. The magic here forced those souls to form new bodies, just as they had just left them."  
  
"But.doesn't that mean they'll just die again?" Juptier frowned. "Like Serena was going to?"  
  
Mercury intervened. "I suppose that was because Serena's soul could sense that this wasn't their natural body, like one's body may attack a new heart after a heart transplant. Whereas these new bodies," she waved a hand at the millions of people blow. "They are the only bodies in existence, so their souls aren't fighting them."  
  
"New heart?" Gimli cut in. Mercury laughed and briefly explained it. Gimli frowned. 'That is rather disturbing," he said flatly. Light laughter followed the statement.  
  
"I can't believe it." Celenithil breathed, eyes wide. "It.it's incomprehensible."  
  
"Only to you, meatball head," said a voice that was full of affection. Celenithil squeaked and turned about so quickly that her six pigtails whipped out, forcing several Senshi to duck else they'd be whapped in the face by the silver whips.  
  
"Seiya!" The silver haired warrior cried as Legolas moved to see what it was she had seen. She moved to embrace all three of the men that stood at the top of the stairs a ways ahead, then came up short when she saw the form in Seiya's arms.  
  
Herself.  
  
Still clad in that pleated black skirt and pink turtleneck tank top.  
  
"Special delivery," Yaten grinned impishly.  
  
"Princess," Pluto said softly, touching Celenithil's elbow gently. Celenithil looked up at her and smiled. Exchanging glances, the Senshi all nodded. The Middle-Earth natives of the Companionship -except for Legolas- knowing they had no part in what was to come, stepped back as the Senshi stood in a circle around Celenithil and the body of Serena Tsukino, in Legolas's arms.  
  
The process was brief, albeit quite flashy and breathtakingly beautiful, consisting of mini starbursts, swirling ribbons of pure power, heat that was both scorching and embracingly comfortable.  
  
The masses of men and elves below looked up at this bright spectacle in awe. The ones closer to the gates were able to faintly make out the twin slender forms of two women floating up into the air, backs arched, pinpricks of light brighter than the glow surrounding them lancing out to conjoin their hearts.  
  
There was a flash brighter than the creation of a sun, and when it faded, a single woman floated back down into the arms of the Elvin prince.  
  
"Serena?" Legolas asked softly of the woman in his arms whom was standing just fine on her own, her hands on his shoulders, her eyes closed. Her hair was still silver, though it decidedly had more gold in it. She was now in black leggings and a silver blouse, the throwing-blade-tiara that had been a gift from the elves of Lothlorien in her hair once more, the Moon Sword belted at her side, and the Moonheart once more on a chain around her throat.  
  
Slowly, she opened her eyes, a smile on her lips. Bright azure eyes greeted him, eyes that once again held that childish, fun-loving spark of innocence and love that had first captured him. He smiled, and embraced her, and she returned it just as tightly as the Companionship, the four newly arrived Senshi, and the Starlights cheered.  
  
"I kept my promise, Darien," Serena thought as she snuggled into Legolas's embrace. "All of them. Serenity and Endymion have a chance to be together as we never were when we were Serenity and Endymion. I promise, for us, as soon as I can stand on my own two feet I'll go up to the Moon and talk to the woman who was once my mother. I'll make sure that that ban on communication between Earth and Moon is obliterated before we ever even meet.maybe then our former incarnations can find love together like we never did. I'll never forget you, love. Never. Rest in peace, Darien. Rest in peace."  
  
"Serena?" Legolas asked. "Are you all right?" He asked softly. Serena smiled.  
  
"Yeah," she said, as she glanced down at the golden ring on her finger. What a strong will her grandmother must have placed in this ring, in order for it to have summoned her back in time to save.well, everything. The will of the ring on her hand truly was a remarkable thing. She smiled, and looked up into Legolas's slightly concerned, loving face.  
  
They moved towards one another at the same time, their mouths melding together as they held each other tighter. Serena rose up on her toes, her hands tangling in his hair. His hands ran up and down her back, cupping her face, sliding through her tresses. They pulled apart briefly before coming back together again, slanting their mouths against each other to grant fuller access to one another. Lips pulled, suckled, massaged and caressed, hands and arms tightened, holding, embracing as if never to let go as, together, they lost themselves in their love for one another.  
  
It was at that moment that, for the very first time, the sun dawned over the land of Mordor, heralding a new beginning. Serena saw this, as they pulled away for breath, and, with a radiant smile she answered his question and said, "Yeah. I'm great. I'm absolutely great."  
  
Laughing, Legolas kissed her again before they turned along with twenty bright stars in the forms of the Senshi and the former Fellowship. Together, they turned to watch the sun rise over the horizon, a beacon of light for the future, for all to see.  
  
The End.  
  
Of the New Beginning. 


	21. Epilogue

**The Will of the Ring** **Epilogue** by Makura Koneko 

A year.

It had been a full year exactly, to the day, since the defeat of Sauron, effectively the destruction of the One Ring (since the evil ring had ceased to exist and had become the slightly more silver, good-will-prophecy-bearing locket) the rise of the Golden Kingdom (formerly known as Mordor) and _everyone_ knew it. And just as many people who knew it were celebrating it.

Things had been hectic, the first few months after I had regained my true body. Artimus and Luna had showed up soon after Seiya and Yaten and Taiki. I've never been so glad to see that furball in my life… 

First we had rested, then a massive meeting of thousands had been held. Most of the humans with new bodies retained their memories, and it had been easy enough for me and the Senshi and Andrew, Molly, Melvin, my family, and various other friends and relatives to find one another. 

Everyone knows everything, now. Everyone –and I mean _everyone_- knows the story of the Silver Millennium, of the Prince and Princess who died for their love, of the love that didn't completely carry through into their next life as a result of a piece of the prince's soul being lost in time and gifted to Legolas.

They knew of the girl Serena Tsukino inheriting the soul of a Princess born and raised to be an empress, of a warrior sworn to defend life and love itself. Of a girl who wanted nothing more than to 'pig out, sleep it off, pig out again, go to the arcade, have a gab fest over Saturday, pig out some more, fail another test, go shopping, did I mention pig out?'

The laughter of thousands had been deafening. My ears are still ringing…

My family and closest friends I had told in private beforehand. They had been by my side ever since. I love them all so much… I sure did get the universe's armpit of a job, but it does come with some perks. Friends and family like mine are one of them.

Elven Prince for a boyfriend is nice, too… Though Daddy sure didn't agree! I never thought I'd see fear in the eyes of my brave, wonderful, tower-of-strength beloved at the angry advances of a mere mortal, middle-aged man… On top of that, I never knew Daddy could run that fast- he'd give any elf a run for his money! Er, or at least Legolas a run for his life! And a few other (_ahem_) things, but we won't go there.

Soon after all that, the Starlights had left, promising to return soon. How they had kept their memories of what had happened with that battle with Chaos, even though _technically_ it never happened, we've yet to figure out. We're pretty sure Princess Kakyuu won't remember us, though. Even so, now that the Silver Millennium was –for now- safe, Seiya had hinted at coaxing their princess to consider an inter-galactic alliance between the Silver Alliance and the kingdoms that Princess Kakyuu reigned over. It will be odd to see her and remember her, yet her not remember me…

Anyway, most of the humans had decided to stay in the ripe, lush new land. While taking a break during a small meeting of key people that had risen as obvious leaders, a woman had whispered, tears in her eyes, that this was her dream land.

And thus the land of Mordor was renamed 'Elysion.' I swear, I almost cried. 'The Land of Dreams,' in one of the older Sylvan tongues. Another of the common names came from the tall, grand tower; the Golden Kingdom. 

With the help of the members of the Companionship that were more knowledgeable on the matter –Aragorn, Legolas, Ami, Setsuna, and Gandalf- they set in motion a way of selecting a leader. Once this was done, and Elysian was well on its way towards erecting a stable government, the Companionship marched across land of Middle-Earth with a triumphant entourage of thousands of elves and a few hundred humans that had decided to follow 'the woman they had come to realize was no mere woman.' I'm still not sure they were talking about me… I also still don't get why Legolas looked so amused when I'd asked who they meant.

People thinking so highly of me is still…new… I mean, its one thing to have people's respect because you're a princess. It's another to have several thousand elves pledge their loyalty to you for sending the demon of their world bye-bye. Especially when that demon was your father…

_Okay, Serena, out with the bad thoughts! This is a happy time, and you will have happy thoughts!_ I chided myself.

Back to the story…

We'd made our way to Lothlorien –most of the thousands of elves stayed just outside the forest city, for the sheer number of them, and once many had found a moment to promise me that if they ever needed anyone, just summon them, they departed in search of loved ones who believed them dead.

Once our strength had been completely recovered from the so-not-fun 'squirmish', we departed for Rivendell, where Aragorn was joyfully reunited with Arwen. An official engagement was announced, although a date had yet to be set. I so wish I'd had a camera at the moment he laid eyes on her…it was so cute!

Once we arrived and had once again retold our tale to Lord Elrond and all who wished to hear, the Lord of Rivendell agreed wholeheartedly to the concept of speedily organizing an entourage of ambassadors to the Moon. Enough time had passed between Guardian and the Guarded (Moon and Earth), we all knew. I'd wistfully wondered what it would be like to wander the halls of my home once more… 

Hmm, that actually sounded kinda poetic… Heh, I'm a poet and I didn't even know it! Hee…

This, the organizing of this entourage, naturally took about a month to get together. Why, you ask? Well, one can't just randomly pick up a few things and take off with their friends to greet the Queen of the Moon to discuss an alliance without proper preparation! I was surprised the number of things I remembered –and at the clarity with which I remembered- the proper protocols that needed to be taught to those that would have the highest chance of meeting the Queen. Namely, the ambassador Lord Elrond had suggested go along.

Imagine my surprise when I'd discovered Lord Elrond himself would be that Ambassador.

Messengers were dispatched by the dozens to notify the whole of Middle-Earth that the threat of Mordor was over, and that a new kingdom, a golden one, had risen in its place and that the long lost –believed to be perhaps even only mythical- relatives of elves had been discovered at last and that a new age was approaching, hopefully to begin with the alliance between Middle-Earth and the White Moon and the rest of the solar system.

The story of the battle of Celenithil and Sauron had spread like wildfire throughout the land. And indeed equally fiery was the tale of Frodo and Sam, and the Fellowship, then the Companionship following it. I couldn't get enough of it, seeing little kids play it out in the street, singing the song that Bilbo and Ami –per Frodo's prediction- had concocted up. It was so darling! Again, I _so_ wished I had a camera…

I'd made a note to self; once this was all over, hire some elf dude and have Ami show him how to make a camera.

The love between Legolas and me, now that we were relatively out of the dangerzone of loosing one another to an accurate arrow or deft sword stroke, blossomed. People began to wonder if they would see two sets of wedding bells before the year was out –a rumor I'm positive was started by Mina. I assured (aka threatened with the lovely pile of blackmail I have stored up; ladies, the art of eavesdropping is your best friend. Forget diamonds.) my friends that while Legolas and I were steadily running up- er, I mean, _carefully_ climbing higher and higher on the ladder of relationship, wedding bells were still a ways off, most likely.

Ami had been working night and day with Gandalf to construct (from mere memory –which was increasing daily- and with the help from the other Senshi and bits of info her data computer had, as well as Luna's input) a teleportation portal around the Crystal Point we discovered underneath the House of Elrond. A new level to the house was being built around the portal.

At last, almost four months after having set out from the Golden Kingdom, things were ready.

The Companionship was to be accompanied by an entourage of Men, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits –Bilbo Baggins among them- that numbered exactly two hundred.

"Curse my old age!" He had told them stoutly. "If I keel over it will be because of the sight of so legendary a civilization. I'm going!"

I love that guy! No wonder Frodo likes him so much! He reminds me a lot of Raye's Grandpa –who, since the alteration of time didn't erase his eventual existence, we won't see for another couple thousand years, since he wasn't brought back in time.

And so he, Bilbo, had gone, along with the Companionship, accompanied by Lord Elrond, Arwen –never again would she allow the man she loved to go off on his own, she'd declared quite stubbornly- and one hundred of the most elite Elven guards, warriors, scholars, artisans, and even a few simple citizens.

A trio of messengers had been sent through the portal a week earlier, and so our arrival had been –semi- expected.

The sight that had met my eyes when I had materialized enough to use those eyes had made me go weak in the knees, a sob rise in my throat.

We'd had materialized in a huge room grand enough to be a ballroom, but the consoles and control panels and large screens betrayed what this room was- the teleportation room. The room Serenity had snuck into with the help of Mars after promising her friend her chocolate stash in return for helping her slip off to Earth.

But that wasn't what had caught my breath. No, what made tears sting my eyes was the sight of the grand, majestic, sparklingly beautiful woman with long pale silver-lavender hair and bright silver eyes, holding the hand of a child who looked to be around ten with hair the color of Moongold, and eyes the color of sapphires. Behind them in a half arc, were the mother's of my Senshi. Beside the little golden haired girl were miniature versions of their mothers, right down to the miniature imitations of the traditional Senshi fuku.

Elder Venus surveyed the group. Lord Elrond was at the front, Arwen, Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir with him. Behind them was me –clad in a simple white gown with silver embroidery and a Greek-style overdress that was milky pale gold, the clasps at my shoulders and elbows and wrists were gold- and Senshi in their new fukus. Behind us was the rest of the main entourage (numbering twenty. The rest of that 200 would come later- we couldn't all fit into the room at once!), including Bilbo and my parents and Sammy and Naru.

Because of this arrangement, the Senshi and I had yet to be seriously looked at long enough to be recognized. Even so far back in time, the resemblance between me and the Queen was unmistakable, especially since now my hair was most decidedly silver with a golden sheen.

"My greetings, Majesty," Elrond said with a slight bow of his head. This was a sight, we all knew. From what I'd heard he wasn't exactly prone to submission to others. Then again, this was more of a good-will show of respect rather than submission…

"I welcome you to the White Moon, friends of old," The White Queen said regally, kindness in her eyes yet a slight reserve behind them. I bit my lip to hold back a choke. I'd had seen that reserve so many times, when my mother had known things she hadn't wanted her daughter to know yet was having trouble keeping it from me… Like surprise birthday parties, or news that an outing would be cancelled, or that I'd had failed another test and thus was grounded…yet there was always that kindness, like there was now…

I couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Mother…" I breathed. The word was soft and quiet, but the eyes of the Elder Senshi snapped to me. Elder Jupiter gasped, and Elder Venus's lovely blue eyes narrowed.

Queen Selenity spotted me, standing behind Legolas. Her eyes widened as I stepped forward, up beside the Elven prince. He took my hand, and I leaned into him slightly. An oath slipped from the mouths of one of the Elder Senshi, probably Elder Sailor Uranus.

"Goodness, Serenity," the younger Venus exclaimed innocently. "You never told us you had an older sister!"

I met the eyes of my mother, and a simple understanding passed between us. I was not her daughter, yet at the same time I was.

Confusing…

And yet not…

That just made it all the more confusing.

But at the same time…

_Oiy, stop that!_ I'd commanded myself. I was gonna need an aspirin if I kept that up…

But still…

"I see a bit more than even I imagined has happened on Earth while I let my fear make me turn a blind eye to the place where I was once an queen," the Queen said softly. Her gaze flitted from each one of the Senshi, whom had unconsciously stepped up. The Senshi in return were exchanging looks with their past mothers.

"Understatement," Jupiter snorted. Light laughter rippled through the air. "Sending a big bad and ugly like Sauron to hell is more than 'a bit more' than some of you imagined."

A gasp replaced the laughter. My eyebrow twitched. She just had to go and launch _that_ particular lil bit of info into the air…arg.

"Lita," I said plainly. The brunette blanched, realizing what she had just said. She glanced at me, her princess, who fixed her with a scathing look.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" She deadpanned. Venus laughed.

"Very," she said, eyes twinkling. Jupiter kept her mouth shut as Mars shook her head and Saturn giggled.

"Perhaps things would be best explained over a small meal I've had prepared for us all," the Queen said, smiling. She glanced at me, her alternate daughter. "Perhaps over dessert we can…discuss a few things." It was obvious she meant personal things.

"Oooooh…is it Popperberry ice for dessert?" I asked suddenly, unable to help myself. The Queen laughed. It was widely known that the favorite dessert of the Crown Princess was a dish called Popperberry ice. 'Popperberry' was a berry that when reached ice cold temperatures, then was suddenly exposed to heat –or rather, was then put in one's mouth- popped and unleashed a burst of tartly sweet flavor. Thus the name 'Popperberry ice.'

"Yes, Popperberry ice," Queen Selenity smiled. Beside her, the young Princess Serenity grinned. I winked at her. Dang, little-me was cute!

Lil me grinned, and a bond formed between us, one unlike any other, and we'd both known it.

That had, as I've said, been a year ago.

Right now, I'm standing on the archers walk atop the Golden Gate, the entrance to Elysian. The Gates were thrown wide open, and people were pouring in. The anniversary of the defeat of Sauron was being celebrated by the entire Solar System. Designated places on each planet were to hold massive parties. Elysian was one of them, and it seemed to be the one spot everyone was trying to go to. Talk about galactic traffic jam! Ick.

Hey, I just realized –with grand amusement- that I never even got my driver's license. Heh. Don't know why that's amusing. Okay, yeah, I do. I'm a Queen now (yes, you heard me right, Queen; I'll explain in a minute) and I can't drive. Not that it would do me any good. There's no cars. Not really. There are these lil magic flying contraptions that stay low to the ground that the Moon Guard elites use but those don't count.

As I watched the hustle and bustle down below, I was just glad that I had my own place, here, that I didn't have to squabble to find a room or a place to set up camp. I glanced up at the beautiful spiraling golden tower. The Moon was hovering just above its peak. My two homes.

To get back to the story, the peace talks on the Moon had gone better than any other in history. The papers had been signed that month -the official anniversary of that was next week, thus this party was probably going to last until then. All that had remained was for the various leaders of Middle Earth to sign.

That had taken forever. Galadriel and Elrond had signed, of course, then Théoden of Rohan, as well as –unsurprisingly- the new King Elassar of Gondor- aka Aragorn. The King of Eriador took a lil persuasion, but he came around. Then there was Dunland that signed just to get rid of us, but pretty much everyone else couldn't wait to sign up.

Now, see, here was the deal. Traditionally all the people that have to sign the thing –the alliance contract- would get together elect one person (not one of them) to make the final sealing signature. That person would be, effectively, until they boot him, the Emperor of basically the entire planet since the various world leaders have to go through him to get something to the White Queen, Selenity.

Kinda messed up system, I know, but hey, just give me a thousand years and I'll work on it. Er, or rather, my Senshi will. Politics aren't my thing- yet. But I'm learning!

Ok, well, like I was saying, this rose a bit of a problem. Middle-Earth didn't have an elected Emperor like all the other planets did. We left the lands to duke it out while we went to go get the one last signature we needed- the King of Elysian's.

Only, see, we got there only to discover that the people of Elysian's king wasn't there. They'd selected him, though, alright. They just needed him to agree. Or rather, she.

Yup, you guessed it.

Me.

They wanted me for their Queen.

Or rather, Empress. See, here's the funny thing. At the same time I got the news that Elysian wanted me for their Queen, messengers came and told me that Galadriel had suggested me for their elected Empress. Guess what? Everyone else agreed. Unanimous.

See, now there was something that had been on my mind. The Senshi and I were aware that at that very moment, out on their home planets, alternate, past versions of themselves existed. It was with shock they had all realized that there were effectively now two Princess Senshi for each planet. It also meant that unless something happened to their younger counterparts, they would never become queens of their planets.

Surprisingly, and yet not so, they all found it a great relief, even me. Yes, they'd had the same training as their counterparts to rule a kingdom, but those lessons had been cut short by the arrival of Metallia and Beryl, and then those lessons had been overwritten by a life –without recollection of their lives as princess- of normality. So, suffice to say, the Senshi knew what their choice would be if they were ever asked if they wanted to take over their 'rightful' thrones.

Well, easy enough to say, that had made things simpler! The paperwork had been messy, but eventually it was settled; the Senshi were now second in line for their thrones, unless their younger counterparts acquired siblings, in which case they would be bumped back to third in line, something none of them minded.

Effectively the Senshi's chores got cut in half; they no longer had to be both princesses and guardians.

Me? Mine got tripled. Now not only am I Sailor Moon –or rather, Celenithil- I'm also Queen of Elysian, Empress of Middle-Earth, and third in line to the throne of the White Moon, after Venus (the younger one).

Fun, eh?

Least I get pretty tiaras and dresses and ice-cream whenever I want… Hey, a girl's gotta find compensation where she can get it!

Speaking of compensation…

I snuck a glance to Legolas beside me. I was falling more in love with him every day. He made the toil of all that paperwork and hardship of setting up a new kingdom so, so, _so_ worth it. He was with me every step of the way. As a prince, he'd been raised to rule, so he was a big help.

Ok, so far this sounds like the typical happy-ending story, right? Right.

_Wrong!_

At least, not quite.A lot people are still convinced that Mordor is evil beyond restoration. Several of the countries that have sworn allegiance to my mother –through me- have rising organizations bent on wiping out Elysian, so we still have to watch our backs.

Also, there's still a lot of disruptions with the timeframe. Remember how the two timelines were supposed to merge? Well, they did. And I do mean merge.

Hey, where did you think the golden tower came from? Yup, it's from the alternate timeline, and it just got carried over and stuck into its new place with was parallel with its old place, just in a different dimension. Came completely furnished and everything.

But besides that, there were skyscrapers, houses, cars, boats, desks, computers, sewing machines, even a few whales –you name it- popping up on land and in trees, in people's living rooms, all over the place!

Heh, and get this; Tokyo Tower is literally in my backyard! Sammy finds this beyond funny for some reason, and although it's amusing, he's getting kinda scary the way he just bursts out laughing whenever he sees it…

Oh, that's another thing. My family lives with me in the Golden Tower. Mom's the head cook! She loves her job. Dad is in charge of my personal publicity, him being a newspaper reporter and photographer (though that part is kinda moot without any cameras…) and all. Sammy is set on becoming one of the royal guards. I've no doubt he'll make a great one. Legolas has taken to him like a brother, and the feeling is mutual.

Ai, I've never loved Ami more when gave me a birthday gift a few months ago; a camera. Kinda big and bulky, but it was a camera. Just in time, too; the look on Sammy's face when Legolas got him a set of a bow and arrows for his birthday and promised him lessons was priceless, and I now have it on film!

The traffic is slowing down. It's getting close to midnight. I can stop waving soon… What? What did you think I was doing up there? Turning myself into an icicle? I don't think so! It's too darn cold up here to be here willingly. Hey, a Queen has some obligations and welcoming people to her kingdom for the holidays is one of them. I'm just glad Legolas came with me.

Oh, and another thing, I'm sure some of you have thought of this by now; I'm Queen of Elysion. Endymion was Prince of Elysion… Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew…. Endymion, my descendant? Ick, ick, ick.

No, see, like I said, I've been working on the legal system- okay, Aragorn, Gandalf, Ami, and Legolas have been working on the legal system with my input. The leaders of Elysion are elected. Yup, you heard me. Elected. I'm only Queen until I die, or until I step down/retire, and then they elect someone else. The Empress gig works the same way; I'm Empress for life, and once I die, they'll elect another person. Neither new elected person will necessarily be my children. _That_ was a relief when I found that out!

I glanced at the tower just in time to see blue light twinkle from one of the higher windows. Finally! Ami was signaling that my time was up. I touched Legolas on the shoulder and nodded towards the light. He grinned, slipped an arm around me, and together with a final wave to those who watched we made our way down the steps to the horses and small company of guards that would take us home.

I saw the light fade, and grinned.

Ah, Ami… I realized I hadn't gotten a chance to ask her that day how the baby was. Yes, you heard me, baby. Ami is pregnant. I swear, Frodo practically bounces and glows, now, and Ami is hardly even showing yet. It was the biggest surprise of our lives when Ami and Frodo had announced it.

When Lita had broached the subject of marriage, Frodo had blushed and said they already were; they'd been married secretly, quietly, and their child had been conceived that night.

They were such a cute couple, really. Ami's mother –her earth Mother, Mrs. Mizuno- couldn't get enough of the two of them together, and that was saying something; that woman isn't really one to gush. I think it's the thought of a grandchild that has her so delighted.

Babies would be plentiful the same month Ami's baby would be born; Aragorn and Arwen were expecting, as well. The wedding had been a few months ago, with Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir as the groomsmen, Gandalf administering the ceremony, and Elrond giving his daughter away. It had been the most beautiful wedding I'd ever been to.

Oh, and get this. They know –by way of magic- that the baby will be a girl. Guess what they're naming her? Yup, Serenity. And I'm gonna be her godmama! It makes me wanna cry. I'm grinning just thinking about it.

Oh, and we can't forget about Boromir and Raye! Arg, I swear, sometimes those two make even _me_ want to gag!!!! They've been so sweetly in love. Their wedding is set for next week, the day before the anniversary of Earth joining the Silver Alliance. Their excitement is so cute, so sweet it's tangible. Take note of the word 'tangible.' I finally know what it means… 

Oh, yeah, Legolas's 'princess lessons' haven't stopped. Ick. Oh well. Guess a Queen can't have everything.

Oh, let's see now…what else is there to tell…

Oh! Heh, get this; Mina has her claws set for Haldir, and although that guy avoids her like the plague, I think to be honest they're both enjoying this game of cat and mouse. I'll never forget I saw Haldir wink at me one time when trying to hide from Mina. Those two will end up together, mark my words! Who would have thought a serious guy like Haldir falling for a goofy blonde like Mina… Then again, since the timelines merging, Mina has been becoming more and more Commander Venus. She's a whole lot more responsible and serious when need be. Though her teasing and puns and quote-quoting is as awful as ever, it's not quite as air-headed as it once was.

And Faramir –I can't believe how alike to Boromir he is! It's scary!!!- and Lita hit it off right away. Not in a romantic sense, mind you, but they're pretty close. Brother and sister, like. I think the knowledge that Lita won't see Ken for a couple thousand years –due to him not even existing yet, and since he would _eventually_ exist, he wasn't brought back in time- hit her hard.

Oh, and one last thing; what happened to the Ring? I'll bet a lot of you are wondering. Well, first of all, it isn't a ring anymore. I melted it and my locket down, and combined them; my mother's locket has been restored in full, with the image of the Moon and music and all. I offered it back to her, but she told me to keep it. She said the will of the ring was to stay with me. If its will had been to return to her, it would have summoned her to purge it, but it hadn't. It had summoned me, therefore I was the only one worthy of it. I think I almost cried when she said that.

Oh, that's another thing; my earth mom, Ikuku, and Queen Selenity get along so great it's frightening. Legolas and I know for a fact those two have our wedding planned out down to the number of flowers to be wrapped around each candlestick. I think they even have our children's' names picked out…

While thinking of this and grinning, it was then, as we entered the courtyard of the Tower, that I heard the scream. Then there was the explosion. Debris filled the sky, and the ground shook. I covered my ears, and the horse whinnied loudly. Getting my panicking mount under control, Legolas and I exchanged on brief glance before bolting for the origin area of both the scream and the explosion.

We reached what remained of Ami's workshop. Horrified, I gasped and flung myself down from the horse and flew towards the building, calling out at the top of my lungs. A figure stumbled out. It was Mina. It was then that had the first inklings…

Mina collapsed into my arms, panting.

"What happened?" I demanded, my long white cloak blowing around us. Mina coughed as many more people rushed up, Haldir included. He and I exchanged suspicious looks.

"I…was…just…" Mina wheezed.

**_"MINAKO AINO!!!!!!!!!"_**

The voice was loud enough to wake the dead and angry enough to have scared even Sauron. Mina, in my arms, paled.

"Mommy…" she squeaked. She glanced over her shoulder just as an outraged Ami Baggins stormed out, hair –now down to her shoulderblades- frizzled, face covered in soot, clothes torn and stained.

"I have one word for you, Commander Venus," the blue haired girl snarled as she neared and Mina jumped behind me with an 'eep!' I was seriously having trouble not laughing.

"Wh-what's that?" Mina squeaked.

"**_Run!_**" Ami growled, and charged. I yelped and flung myself to the side. Legolas caught me, thank goodness, and we watched, laughing, as a blue blur chased a golden one. Slowly, laughter rose up from the entire courtyard.

While laughing, I spotted my mother, Queen Selenity standing at the top of the steps to the Golden Tower. I blinked in surprise; she wasn't scheduled to arrive until the next day…she must have gotten to Elysian early. Our gazes met, and we smiled amid the laughter that surrounded everything.

Do you ever sit and wonder, ever remember what it was like when you were a kid? Marvel at how things had changed? You grow up, have kids of your own, have a job. You think back and remember when you were carefree, your biggest problem was your crush or that annoying pimple on your nose. It's a weird feeling, eh? I'm getting it right now. I mean, I thought my life had changed when a talking cat gave me a pretty brooch… Hooboy, if I'd known then what taking that brooch meant… But I'm glad I didn't. My life sure is different (understatement of the year!!!) but I'm pretty sure it's a good different. No, I'm _positive_ it's a good different.

I've often wondered what would have happened if I had chosen to save Darien instead of Legolas. Would I have regretted it? I'm not sure. I've changed since I loved Darien. The girl that loved Darien with all her heart and soul…she's a different person now. So maybe I wouldn't have loved him. Who knows?

What I do know now, though, is who I _do_ love.

I glanced at Legolas beside me, and he grinned at me. I smiled back.

Yeah, life is different, but it sure is great.

Somehow, someway, this simple revelation heralded something new. Somehow, someway, both my mother and I knew it. Mistakes had been rectified, Choices had been made, Promises kept…

Now it was time to see of those Mistakes would be repeated, if the right Choices had been made, and, and how strong those Promises were.

It was the end of the age of the Ring, and the beginning of something far, far more grand.

I will not say this is the end, because, really, nothing ever truly ends, now does it? Everything lives on somehow, in some way, shape or form. Whether in memories, or life or death…or even in the will of a ring that changed the course of the future, nothing truly ever ends. And so I will simply say, fare thee well.

Fare thee well, my friends. Farewell.

**_Namariie, mellonamin._**

**__**

**_Farwell, my friends._**

**~~^~~**

**A Final Author's Note**

Well, everyone, this is it. The finale of The Will of the Ring. I hope you all have enjoyed this as much as I have. I truly think this is the best thing I have ever written to date.

In response to questions concerning a sequel, I have been keeping track of those who ask for one, and I believe the majority of you agree with me; a sequel would be too much. I think I like this story as it is, so I don't think there will ever be a sequel. That may change, of course, but for now that is my ruling.

Everyone, I know I may sound like a sissy when I say this, but I literally had tears in my eyes when I wrote 'farewell.'  It is always a sad thing to close the final chapter of a beloved story, whether or not you're the one reading or writing it.

But don't worry, all, I have found in this story the subject matter that will probably be the focal point for the majority of my stories to come; Sailor Moon/Lord of the Rings Crossovers.

Now, I can't very well officially seal up the end of this story without proper credits and thank yous, now can I? And so, I would first like to thank **Tuxedo Starr** (Byrd-chan. ^^) my onii-chan and beta reader (when I remembered to send him the chapters before I posted… *sweatdrop*)

Also to **Raven**, my boyfriend, who was supportive even though he was positively horrified –though after a time it turned to amusement- at the thought of a Lord of the Rings/anime crossover. *does razzberries at boyfriend*

Also to **Adien**, my sister in Christ, thanks for not being mad at me for that 'kick in the pants,' lol ^__^

As well as to **umi**, for all your advice and hilarious pick-me-ups!

It's one thing to have a bunch of reviews saying 'Wow! Love it, I want more!' but it's when you really take the time to convey what you like, and what you don't like, and suggestions for improvement that you actually become a part of my story. And so to those people who not only reviewed, but helped make this story better, I thank,

**Umi**

**Adien**

**Be'jammin**

**Reiko**

**Ray of Hope**

**TenshiDaisy**

**HikariTenshi**

**HikariTsuki**

**Solarmistress17**

**Crazygurl70**

**Siren**

**Azhuraea**

**Callisto Star**

**Liquid Ice**

**Lady Artimus**

**Linauri**

**Rinavariel**

**Sailorruss**

**Kawaiibaka**

**Rose Yami Hikari**

**Saturnpyroprincess**

**Mooniecrazed**

**Divine Sorceress**

**Empress Blade**

**Sera Luanma**

**SS Silver AKA Silver Shadows**

**Serena***

And to everyone else who ever reviewed, I can't thank you enough. 

And now it is with a satisfied, but no less sad, farewell of a sigh that I bid you all adieu, until my next story (which, if you will all kindly go to the next 'chapter' after this one, you will get to vote on!).

You've all been wonderful beyond words, and again I can't thank you enough.

Remember, wonderful readers…

_Hope Makes the Universe Shine,_

_Love Makes the Galaxy Glow,_

_Faith Makes the Stars Sparkle._

_Give Up These Things,_

_And the Universe Will Dim, _

_The Galaxy Will Fade,_

_And the Stars will die,_

_And the World will End._

**_Hope Makes the Universe Shine,_**

                                            Makura Koneko

**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


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